Arista of the Far East
by RavenPuffPrefect1296
Summary: I'm just an ordinary Japanese middle school student before this happened. I'm just a novice in archery and I couldn't even hit the damn target right. But I love being ordinary until my senior Kyoko Kiritsugu turned into a vicious snake lady and attacked me. But luckily, someone came to my rescue- a dark-haired emo ad a cheerful blonde. Then my friend Ian told me I'm a half-blood.
1. Chapter 1

**Arista of the Far East**

 **By GraceHunter1296**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Percy Jackson and the Olympians or Heroes of Olympus. Those belong to Rick Riordan. and the songs to be mentioned in this fic belong to their respective artists.**

 **(A/N): Hey guys, this is GraceHunter1296. This is my first fan fic in Fan Fiction. So please, for the love of my mother Athena, please be gentle with those reviews! Okay? On with the fic!**

 **Chapter 1**

 **Arista**

Yo! Watashi wa Kisaragi Arista Karorainu desu. Yoroshiiku onegaishimasu!

In case you were wondering, I'll translate it for you. Yo! My name is Arista Caroline Kisaragi. Nice to meet you! Why the Japanese intro, you ask? It's because I'm half-Japanese, half-American. My mom is pure Japanese while my dad is American. I don't know much about him because Oka-san refuses to tell me anything. Anyway, I'm currently in middle school and I'm a part of our archery club and haiku club. Believe me, I'm obsessed with haiku.

Aside from archery and poetry, I love music. My mom is currently a musician. All of us in the family are musicians. Grandpa, Grandma, Uncle Wataru, Aunt Yuki, Uncle Jin, Mom, even my little cousins are all music lovers though my older relatives prefer to listen to _enka._ Me? I love Japanese rock, especially if it's One Ok Rock. I love how their lead vocalist hit those high notes. And their songs touch my heart.

Anyway, my life took a completely different turn when one of my foreign classmates, Ian, approached me one Thursday. He looks so agitated that I thought he had made a deal with a gangster and he got in trouble. But I wasn't prepared for what will happen next.

-x-x-x-

"Ari? Ari! There you are. You need to get out of here!" he spoke in an anxious tone. He was chewing his baseball cap and keeps on looking on every direction. I was getting ready for archery practice. I got my long bow on one hand and my quiver on the other. I don't know why he's antsy but I ignored him and went straight for the target range. But he followed me there.

"Ian, if you have trouble with a local gangster, I won't be able to help you." I said. But he kept on following me.

"I'm serious, Arista! They're coming for you. You need to get to camp immediately!" he insisted. I was really getting annoyed by now. I was about to tell him to get lost when my seniors Kurohebi-senpai and Kiritsugu-senpai approached me. Ian bleated like a goat. I would've paid attention to him if it weren't for the creepy stares that my seniors are giving me. I may appear calm on the outside. But on the inside, I was freaking out. Kurohebi-senpai and Kiritsugu-senpai are waiting for me at the target range. They look pissed.

"What the hell, Arista?! You're fifteen minutes late." Kiritsugu-senpai snarled. Damn, when you see her scowling face, you'll run for the hills. She looks like a _yokai_ in Ukiyo-e prints. She's ten times more frightening than that.

"Osonakanakutte sumimasen (Sorry for being late)." I bowed low. Kurohebi-senpai scoffed at me.

"Well, no matter. We will be feasting soon. Finish her off, Kiritsugu." Kurohebi-senpai ordered with an evil smile on her face. My eyes widened as Kiritsugu-senpai transformed into a... I don't know what to describe her. From waist up, she looks the same-except for the fact that she looks like a snake lady. Her eyes are reptilian- yellow irises and black slits for pupils. Her lower extremities were no better either. Instead of legs, she has two snake trunks connected to her torso. My knees are shaking at the sight. But I managed to speak without revealing my true feelings.

"Omae...nani mono da?! (What are you?!)" I asked. Kiritsugu-senpai hissed in laughter.

"My, my. Trying to sound brave, little demigod? I can assure you, you're no different from the ones we fought before." She answered. Out of fear, I drew out an arrow and aim it at her. She was taunting me with her snake-like smile.

"Go ahead, Arista. Shoot me. You can never defeat a _Scythian draecanae_ with just your long bow." She challenged me. My eyes narrowed at her. One of the things I hate most in the world is someone mocking me openly. So I went ahead and let my arrow loose. It whistled towards her but she managed to dodge it. The arrow embedded itself on the ground.

"Kuso." I cursed under my breath. I aimed the second arrow and kept on shooting at her. But no matter what I do, I kept on missing my target. That's when she attacked me. For a two-trunk snake lady, she moves fast. I darted out of her way but she managed to slither to me. I was caught off-guard. I knew I was done for. I cried because I was such a lousy fighter. I let her get the best of me. Damn...

Before I close my eyes and wait for the bitter end, I saw Ian waving a club and smacked her in the head. Kiritsugu-senpai became dazed. That's when he threw something which landed on the ground. It was a wakizashi. Kiritsugu-senpai's hold on me weakened. So I did what I had to do. I bit her. She howled in pain as she threw me a good fifty meters away. My body was filled with adrenaline as I ran towards the direction of the embedded wakizashi. I picked it up and swore in Japanese. I almost forgot: I suck at close-range combat. This is it. I'm dead meat.

Then, out of the shadows, two boys appeared. The first one was tall, about 5'9" with black mop of hair, pale skin, and eyes the color of charcoal. He is wearing a battered aviator jacket, a black t-shirt with a skull print on it, skinny jeans, and black Converse sneakers. He reminds me of a member of a rock band though his aura is a bit creepy to me. The second one was blond. He's wearing an orange t-shirt, jeans, and white rubber shoes. He has this cheerful disposition that seems quite familiar to me. He has pale blue eyes and a dazzling smile.

"Hey there! Are you okay?" Blondie asked me. I was in a daze so I only managed a nod.

"Good. Nico, be careful! And no Underworld-y magic, you hear?!" he reminded his companion. The guy Nico smirked at him.

"Don't worry, Solace. I got this. Just concentrate on healing the girl." he said and drew his sword. I've never seen anything like it. Its blade is black. I'm certain that it's not a Japanese sword. I was so confused at the moment that I didn't notice I was about to fall on my knees. Good thing Blonde Dude managed to catch me.

"Whoa, easy. You're lucky that you managed to hold on your own. By the way, my name is Will Solace. What's yours?" he asked. My mind was almost numb from what is happening around me. But I spoke.

"Arista. My name is Arista Caroline Kisaragi." I said and winced. Will looked at me with concern. He gently waved his hands on me. I realized that his hands are glowing. I started feeling better but my chest hurt. Will rummaged his backpack and found a square stuff. I don't know what on earth it is. Suddenly, he shoved it inside my mouth. I almost gagged so I chewed it and swallowed. I glared at Will.

"Baka! (You idiot!)" I spoke. Will tilted his head.

"Uhm...translation?" he asked. I mentally slapped myself (again) because it dawned on me that they're foreigners. But he just asked me what my name is and somehow I understood him. And I could've sworn I didn't speak good English but we understood each other.

After twenty minutes, Nico walked towards us with his black sword. I was still holding the wakizashi just in case I needed to defend myself.

"Relax. We won't hurt you." Will reassured me. Ian walked towards me and I nearly fainted. From waist up, he looks like an ordinary teenager. But downwards? He has a pair of shaggy goat legs.

"Daijoubu ka, Ari? (Are you okay, Ari?)" Ian asked. My eyes must have looked like flying saucers because he flashed me an apologetic look.

"Sorry if I didn't tell you the truth sooner. But it's for your own safety. The truth is, I'm a satyr. We serve as protectors of demigods. And you, Arista, you're a demigod." he explain. Holy Amaterasu! I'm a... demigod?!

 **A/N: Yoshii! That's a wrap. Please review and tell me what you think. Should I continue with this story or not? See ya!**

 **~GraceHunter1296, Legacy of Olympus**


	2. Chapter 2

**Arista of the Far East**

 **By GraceHunter1296**

 **(A/N): Hello again! Thanks for following the story, jesuscortez735 and thompsonisla496! And I also wanted to thank perksofbeinganothing for including my story in his Favorites list.**

 **Disclaimer: Again, I do not own Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Heroes of Olympus and any songs that might be mentioned in this fan fic.**

 **Chapter 2**

 **Welcome to Camp Half-Blood**

Oi oi. Are they serious? Am I really a...half-blood? I looked at their faces carefully, wanting someone to say "Just kidding!" and we will laugh it off. But when I gazed at Ian, he's dead serious about this. Will and Nico were silent. I couldn't comprehend what I just gotten myself into.

I was scared as hell. Then someone tapped me on the shoulder. Will knelt beside me and smiled. I couldn't help but think where I have seen that smile before.

"I know this is a lot to take in, Arista. But rest assured, we'll answer your questions right after we have a talk with your mother." Will said. My mother? What does it have to do with my mother? As if reading my mind, Ian spoke.

"Ari, your mom is a clear-sighted mortal. She can see things that a normal human can't. She knows what you truly are. And now, you have to go to camp with us in order to train. Trust me. You're going to need it."

"Camp? What camp?" I asked. This time, Nico replied.

"Camp Half-Blood. It's a safe haven for people like us. Campers are claimed by their godly parent and trained there in order to survive in the mortal world."

"Half-blood? Wait a minute. Are you saying I'm a _hanyo_?" I retorted. Will was confused by the term I just used. Ian offered to translate it for them.

"She meant half-blood. But in Japanese, _hanyo_ means half-human, half-demon." Nico's eyebrows met halfway through his forehead.

"We really need to speak with your mom, Arista. She has to know." Nico decided. Will and Ian agreed. However, I'm against it. Why would they want to talk with Oka-san? This is getting weirder. Like what-the-hell-is-going-on kind of weird. I knew I shouldn't trust people I've just met a couple of minutes ago but things got a little crazy when Kurohebi-senpai returned. She hissed in anger.

"Son of Hades! I should've known. You smelled of death and blood." She spoke. Oh sheep. Then she transformed into a Scythian what's-Its-Name and hell breaks loose. Double sheep.

I drew out my wakizashi. Will lets out a whistle in appreciation.

"Nice blade," he said. That's when Kurohebi-senpai slithered towards us and goes in for the kill. But I've learned my lesson. So I leapt out of her way and assume my stance. Thank Kami I know how to use a wakizashi. Although, I still prefer to use my bow.

"Die, demigod!" Kurohebi-senpai shouted and makes her way towards me. I held my weapon tight and swung my sword in a wide arc. She was able to dodge in time and take note, she has a weapon. She uses a spear and a net. Why in Kami-given earth is she using a net?

" _Di immortales!_ Arista, get out of there!" Nico ordered. I didn't understand it at first. But then, Kurohebi-senpai threw the net. I didn't get far away. I was caught in the net and was struggling to get out. She laughed but it sounds like a thousand snakes hissing together. She was holding her spear and she was about to strike me in the chest when she evaporated into golden dust. When I looked up, Nico was standing before me. I sighed in relief when he removed the net. I was still holding the wakizashi.

"That was a close-call. Are you all right, Arista?" Will asked. I nodded.

"We really need to get out of here." Ian suggested. We all agreed to go to my house. When I reached home, Oka-san rushed to my side and hugged me. I felt a little embarrassed that she was fussing over the scratches on my face but I welcomed it. It calmed me down a little but I was still spooked. I mean, imagine battling for your life against two snake ladies without combat training. How will that make you feel?!

"So, I guess it's time then." Oka-san said after Nico and Will gave her an inkling of what happened. She looks so distraught about it though.

"It's imperative that we get Arista to camp. She's not safe here anymore. She will be protected and trained under Chiron's supervision." Ian said. My mom nodded in agreement. But I was having trouble processing the information.

"Oka-san...what...what are you saying?" I asked. Oka-san gazes at me with pain in her eyes. I'm sure it's hard on her to send me away. But I don't want to leave her. My mom and my family were the only ones I have. Even though my relatives sees me as a freak, Oka-san loved me for who I am. And I can't bear to see her crying in front of me. But if I wanted to get stronger, I have to get to this camp and train. I'm torn. Should I go to camp? Or should I stay? To be honest, I'm a little scared. This is the first time I'll be away from home. I mean, really away from home. But when I saw Oka-san's face, I knew have to go.

"What's it going to be, Arista?" Ian asked. I faced them with conviction I didn't know I had.

"I'm going." I replied. Even though she was about to cry, Oka-san smiled.

"Gambatte ne, Ahri-chan (Do your best, Ahri-chan)." she said. I nodded. So I packed my bags and the next day, Nico, Will, Ian and I are on our way to camp.

We went straight to Narita Airport. Thank Kami Oka-san managed to give me my passport. So, we entered the plane. I kept my wakizashi in my backpack. I was wondering why the airport security hasn't arrested me yet for carrying a dangerous weapon. When I caught a glimpse of Nico's sword, it looks like a black baseball bat. I scrunched my eyebrows in wonder. Ian was eyeing me with curiosity.

"You're wondering why Nico's sword looks like a baseball bat, aren't you?" Ian assumed. I nodded.

"It's the Mist. It covers the eyes of mortals to prevent them from discovering the existence of mythological monsters and gods. It can fool demigods too. But some mortals can see clearly through it. Anyway, when we get to camp, Chiron will explain it to you." he explained. I sat back and sighed in relief. Guess I won't be seeing Japan for a little while.

When we arrived in New York, I was amazed by the sights. Lights are all over the place and the streets are filled with people hustling about. But before I get to explore, Nico pulled me by the back of my collar. I was shocked when he did that.

"Dude! What gives?!" I said. Nico stared at me like I was insane.

"Arista, New York is the current seat of the Olympians. Over the Empire State Building lies Mt. Olympus. When there are Greek gods, there are also monsters. It's not wise for a demigod to roam around alone without proper weapons or training." Nico explained. I pouted like an 8-year old child. Will and Ian laughed at me.

"Well, I can't blame you, Ari. New York has a different feel, don't you think?" Will teased.

"C'mon, we need to hurry. The camp's van should be around here somewhere." Nico interrupted and looked for a sign of the van that will take them to Camp Half-Blood. Meanwhile, Ian was standing guard. I can't believe how wild and colorful New York is. But then I miss Oka-san already. I wonder what she's doing right now.

"Ari? Ari! The camp's van is here." Nico woke me up from my daydreaming. I snapped back to reality and followed Nico into a street where a white van was parked. There's something written on it. Delphi Strawberry Service or something?

"Hop in, guys. We'll be arriving at camp soon."

I went inside with my backpack in tow. I chose the window seat because I have the tendency to get carsick when I sit somewhere else. Will and Ian sat next to me while Nico chose the passenger seat. I couldn't see the driver though. Probably because I was too tired. I didn't realize I fell asleep on the way to camp. And I had the weirdest dream ever.

I was at the Yokohama Stadium watching my favorite rock band play live. The vocalist, Taka, was singing one of my favorite songs. It's "One by One".

 _Heaven is all gone, empty in my arms_

 _You wanna see us be nothing, nothing_

 _Where do we belong? We have to stay strong_

 _We are an army of useless freaks!_

 _Standing on the battleground, standing on the front_

 _Whoaaaaaa... Can't see my way out!_

 _Standing in the pinnacle_

 _Standing on the sun_

 _Whoaaaa... Can't see my way out!_

 _One by one, we turn our hands to guns_

 _One by one, they fall down..._

Then all of a sudden, someone stole Taka's mike from him and sang WAY off key that I wanted to punch the guy for ruining their performance. So I climbed up the stage and march straight towards him then BAM! The guy was knocked out. But I was shocked when the guy turned into a _draecanae._ I could still hear Kurohebi-senpai's laughter.

 _Puny demigod...wait 'til my master sees you...You will suffer...You will DIE!_

I screamed and woke up. Will screamed as well. I was panting like crazy. But when I saw the driver, I scrambled out of the van and sprinted ala Usain Bolt. I know, I know. I'm being rude. But what would your reaction be if you saw a seemingly typical California surfer dude with blonde hair and THOUSANDS OF EYES ALL OVER HIS BODY?! I highly doubt you will stay around to have a chat with him.

"Arista! Arista, wait!" Ian pleaded while chasing me into the woods. All of a sudden, something big pounced me out of nowhere. When I opened my eyes, a big tongue licked my face. The next thing I knew, I was covered in doggie saliva. A dog the size of a truck was panting while its tongue is out. I have never seen a dog that big. Oh, and did I mention I love dogs? So without further ado, I gave the dog a scratch behind its ears.

"Awww... you're so adorable! Who's the cute doggie?" I cooed. I barely noticed Nico, Will and Ian coming. They look like crap.

"What the Styx was that for, Arista?! You nearly gave me a heart attack!" Ian admonished. Nico and Will looked at me with respect.

"Wow. I've never seen someone run that fast. If I hadn't known better, I would mistake you for a Hermes kid." Will said. Nico smiled.

"Uhm... Neeks? Why are you smiling?" Ian asked.

"Looks like Mrs. O'Leary just found us." Nico replied. Together with Mrs. O'Leary, the four of us climbed up the hill where a huge pine tree stands. I gasped as I watch a huge dragon snoring under the tree. It has a thick body the size of a bus. And that's not all. I saw the driver again but this time, I was sheepish. The California surfer dude was pissed off when I left him. The look on his eyes drove that part home.

"Gomenasai (I'm sorry). I didn't mean to run off like that. It's just... I was still adjusting to this whole Greek-gods-in-America thing. I didn't mean to offend you. Honto nii gomenasai (I'm really sorry)," I said and bowed low like a true Japanese. The guy pat me in the shoulder and his expression told me he forgave me. I smiled at him.

"Arista, this is Argus, the head of security of Camp Half-Blood." Will introduced.

"Ko-Konnichiwa, Argus-san. I'm Arista. Nice to meet you." I said.

"Well, we need to take you to the Big House. Chiron's waiting for you." Ian beckoned me to a mansion with white walls and blue roof. A bronze eagle wind vane stands at the top. I was a bit self-conscious before. But when people are starting to look at me, I became nervous. These guys are like me. But I feel like I don't belong here. Dou shi yo? (What shall I do?)

 **A/N: Whew! That took longer than I thought. So, to all you lovely people, I would like to ask your opinion about this chapter. Please don't be shy in giving your comments and suggestions so I could work on it.**

 **Arista: You had to make me an awkward teenager, didn't you?**

 **Me: Well, duh. How would you feel if you're in an unfamiliar place with unfamiliar faces?**

 **Arista: Huh. Good point.**

 **Me: Anyways, please review! :D**

 **~GraceHunter1296, daughter of Athena**


	3. Chapter 3

**Arista of the Far East**

 **By: GraceHunter 1296**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Percy Jackson. Rick Riordan does. Also, I don't own One OK Rock songs that may be included in this fan fic.**

 **A/N: Hey guys! It's me again. Thank you princessmikanchan656 and Indigo Jupiter for the review and to epiclove4u for adding my story into her Favorites list. I also want to thank Jupanuma for following my story.**

 **On with the fic!**

 **Chapter 3**

 **Son of Magic**

Ian and I went to the Big House. Two people are sitting in a table while playing some sort of game. The first one is a guy in a tweed jacket and has a well-trimmed beard. He was holding five cards in his hand. The other one is a bit shocking to look at. He's wearing a loud Hawaiian tiger print shirt and he has a pot belly. His curly brown hair reminds me of paintings made by Leonardo da Vinci although this one is giving me the creeps. His cheeks are red and when I got close enough, I thought I smelled a hint of wine. I wrinkled my nose in disgust.

The man in the wheelchair smiled at me and puts down his stack of cards.

"Well, Mr. D, looks like I won again." He said. The other man, Mr. D, was not happy about it. Then he had a good look at me and I saw purple fire in his eyes. But he looks bored.

"Oh great. Another brat to take care of. Well, welcome to Camp Half-Blood, brat. I hope you die on a quest or something." He grumbled. Ian was nervous around him though. Why would he be scared of a pot-bellied man in a loud Hawaiian shirt and gets drunk every five minutes?

"So, who is this young lady?" Wheelchair Guy asked.

"Uhm…my name is Arista Caroline Kisaragi. Nice to meet you." I introduced. Ian was about to say something but when Wheelchair Guy began to stand, I became curious at first since his legs were still stuck in the wheelchair. That's when it hit me: those were fake legs. Standing before me is a creature with a man's torso and a body of a horse. He has a palomino's body waist down. I nearly had a heart attack and good thing Ian was there to catch me.

"Holy Susano'o." I muttered.

"Forgive me for startling you. I'm Chiron, trainer of heroes. Welcome to Camp Half-Blood, Arista." he said. I regained my composure and bowed to Chiron. I smiled at him.

"I hope Ian has enlightened you with the basics of demigod life."

"Well, Nico and Will already have it covered. Say, where are they?" I asked. I looked around the perimeter of the Big House. All of a sudden, Nico and Will materialized OUT OF THE SHADOWS. Nobody saw it as weird. Chiron was being so casual about it. It seems normal for them to see people appear out of nowhere.

"'Sup?" Nico greeted. Will beamed at me.

"Hey Arista."

"So, do you know who your godly parent is?" Nico inquired. I shook my head.

"I see. Very well then. Nico, please call Daniel Hawthorne from the Hecate cabin. He can explain things better."

"Sure." Nico said and disappear. Ten minutes later, he came back with a guy wearing a blue hoodie, ripped jeans and Converse high-cut sneakers. I can't see the color of his eyes because of his bangs. He has this mysterious aura that arouses curiosity. I had the sudden urge to rip off his stupid hoodie and drink at the sight of him. After that, I really wanted to smack myself.

"Arista, this is Daniel Hawthorne from the Hecate cabin. Daniel, meet Arista. She's the new camper." Chiron introduced. Daniel removed his hoodie and gave me a knee-buckling smile. I smiled back though sheepishly. To be honest, I find him cute. Daniel looks like a superstar with his warm hazel brown eyes, jet black hair, a cute nose and perfectly-shaped lips. Honestly, he could be a celebrity outside camp. He definitely look the part.

"Hey." he greeted. I just waved in response. "Chiron wants me to give you a tour. Shall we?" he said. I nodded so we walked towards the cabins. I saw an ordinary-looking cabin with a silver bow at the door. I saw another one that looks like a beach house with shells. There's one that looks like a Barbie doll house with pink paint. Too girly for my taste to be honest.

-x-x-x-

When we reached a cabin filled with strange inscriptions, Daniel stopped.

"And this is my cabin. Cabin 20, Hecate. We're all magic-users here but our counselor Lou Ellen is a master when it comes to manipulating the Mist." he spoke. His voice is filled with such pride but there's an undertone of wistfulness in it. He smiled at me as if nothing happened. But it seemed forced now.

"Oh. So, you can manipulate the Mist too?" I asked. Daniel nodded.

"I could but my forte is fire magic. I rarely use that kind though." he replied and touched his right cheek. I thought of it as weird but when I saw his face shimmering against the sun, I realized he's hiding something in his face. Before he could pull away, I brushed his bangs away and what I saw shocked me.

He has burn marks on his right cheek. Not only that, his right eye doesn't seem to function that well because the scar nearly covered it. He swatted my hand away and put his bangs back into place. I have a dozen questions spinning around in my mind. That's when the vulnerable look in his face made sense to me. He was afraid that I'll make fun of him because of his scar.

"I'm sorry. It's just...people became wary of me whenever they see...this. I had an accident five years ago and..." he didn't finish it but I nodded in understanding.

"It's okay. You don't have to tell me if you don't want to." I said. He sighed in relief and smiled at me. Honestly, even with the burn marks, Daniel is handsome.

All of a sudden, a conch horn blew. I raised my eyebrows in question.

"Dinner time. Come on. Maybe you'll get claimed during dinner." he said in encouragement. I smiled at him and we went to the dining pavilion together.

-x-x-x-

Chiron sat at a table with Mr. D and a bunch of satyrs. Ian was with them too. I waved at him and he waved back. Meanwhile, I'm sitting with Nico at the Hades table since my godly parent hasn't claimed me yet. I heard from the other campers that claiming means a god or a goddess will send a sign that he/she acknowledges a demigod as his/her child. I don't know who's my dad but I hope he'll claim me tonight.

During dinner, the campers stood up with their plates. Then they dumped the most delicious food on the brazier. I thought it was weird but Nico explained it to me. They are offering sacrifices to the gods. So I picked up my strawberry yogurt and dumped it on the brazier. It smells of summer with scents of newly mowed grass and wild flowers. I prayed to my dad that he claimed me tonight. Suddenly, a collective gasp echoed through the dining pavilion. I was stunned by what's going on. Then Chiron knelt before me as did the other campers. Will was smiling like he had won the lottery.

"Hail Arista Caroline Kisaragi, daughter of Apollo, god of music, poetry, arts, healing, truth, and light." he announced. Daniel gave me a thumbs-up. Will hugged me and welcomed me to the Apollo table. My siblings accepted me warmly, no pun intended. Finally, I have a family that I belong to. This is the happiest day of my life.

-x-x-x-

The next day, Daniel and I went to the arena to meet his friends. I was nervous since I'm a newbie and all. But when I met them, I was relieved. They seem to be really nice.

"Guys, there's someone I want you to meet." Daniel said. Four people looked up and approached us.

"Yo Danny! Who's that girl?" a guy with fiery red hair asked.

"Guys, this is Arista. She's a daughter of Apollo."

"Hello." I spoke. Then a girl with calculating gray eyes stared at me as if I was some complicated blueprint. She's about the same height as me with strawberry blonde hair, a graceful gait and a pretty face. But her eyes are really intimidating. She reminded me of my homeroom teacher back home.

"Uhm...Dee, you're kind of scaring her." Fiery Haired commented. Gray-Eyes glared at him. That's when she introduced herself to me.

"Hi, I'm Frederica Montez, daughter of Athena. Nice to meet you, Arista."

"Yeah, nice meeting ya. I'm Gary Stanwell, son of Hermes." Gary introduced and even shook my hand. And there's also a guy with silver hair and bright saffron eyes. Daniel introduced him as Winter Crestfall, son of Ares. He just nodded in my direction and went back on polishing his Celestial Bronze sword. I asked Daniel where I could find a weapon I could use. He said we could make one during Arts and Crafts. But some demigods get their weapons from the armory. Since I have Arts and Crafts in the afternoon, I decided to make a new bow. My longbow's fine but I needed a recurve bow for stealth mode.

"Try going to the Hephaestus cabin, Arista. They are the best weapon makers here at camp." Frederica suggested.

"A little warning though. Their senior counselor is a certified nutcase. But don't worry. Leo's a nice guy." Winter added. I nodded and went to the forge where a bunch of Hephaestus kids are busy tinkering with their projects. A scrawny guy with ears of an elf looked up and smiled widely. He approached me in a relaxed fashion.

"How's it going? Leo Valdez, Supreme Commander of the Argo II, and head counselor of Cabin 9. At your service. So, how may I help you?" he asked.

"Uhm... I was about to ask you to make me a recurve bow made from Celestial Bronze. I have a longbow but recurve bows are lighter and more efficient. If it's not too much to ask..." I replied. He beamed at me and lets me inside the forge.

"Well _chica,_ you have come to the right place. I think I have a design for a Celestial Bronze bow. Wait here. Uncle Leo's got you covered. " Leo said and hollered to a girl with caramel-colored hair in braids. She's wearing denim over-alls and a white t-shirt. "Hey Sunshine! Have you seen my Celestial Bronze bow designs?"

"Leo, for the last time, try looking in your tool belt. I left it in there." she sighs in annoyance. Leo blows a kiss to her and the girl rolled her eyes and caught it all the same.

"Thank you, Sunshine." Leo said and rummaged his tool belt for the designs. Now let me tell you this, Leo's tool belt must've been magical because when he pulled out a 11x24 size blueprint, I couldn't help but wonder how it fit. He let me looked at the designs until my eyes caught the sight of a beautiful recurve bow with a lot of intricate carvings. It also has an engraving of the sun on it. So I pointed it out to Leo who smiled in approval.

"Sure thing, _chica._ I'll have it made in a jiffy. You could get it after a day or two." he said. I thanked him and went back to my cabin. But when I reached my bunk, I was horrified at what I saw: a blonde dude with California tan and wears a pair of jeans and Camp Half-Blood t-shirt who was reading my notebook full of haikus. Gods of Olympus, he was reading my haikus!

Before he even looks up, I snatched my notebook away from him and glared daggers at him.

"What do you think you're doing?!" I shouted and was about to slice him to ribbons with my wakizashi but he held his hands up in surrender.

"Whoa, sweetheart. Easy. That's a sharp blade you're pointing at me. Put it away before you hurt yourself." he spoke in a placating gesture but I was beyond placation. He messed with my stuff, he gets the blade. The I heard Will coming in. What came next was beyond mortifying.

"DAD?!" he shouted.

Oh my gods... this snooping dude is Apollo?! The freaking APOLLO?!

Gods help me, I almost throttle my own father. 

**(A/N): Oh-kay...that was awkward. Thanks for reading this story. Please leave a comment or suggestion to further improve this story. Bye for now!**

 **~GraceHunter1296, daughter of Athena and Legacy of Olympus**


	4. Chapter 4

**Arista of the Far East**

 **By: GraceHunter1296**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Percy Jackson and the Olympians. Rick Riordan does. And also, I do not own OOR songs or any other songs that may be included in this fan fic.**

 **(A/N): Hey guys, this is GraceHunter1296. I'm really sorry for not updating fast enough. I still have school requirements I have to pass. But don't worry! I'm almost done with them. By the way, thank you Indigo Jupiter for the review and for following my story.**

 **On with the fic!**

 **Chapter 4**

 **Daughter of the Sun**

"DAD?!" I blurted out as Apollo smiled sheepishly at me. I became very annoyed. First, he appears out of nowhere and snoops around my stuff. And second, he has the gall to SMILE at me?! The nerve of this bastard! I don't care if he's a freaking god of Olympus. No one messes with my stuff and gets away with it, even a god like Apollo.

My eyes must have been downright murderous because Will and Apollo gulped and took several steps back. Well, it seems an angry Japanese girl holding a wakizashi is a new thing for these Greeks.

"Holy Zeus… Kayla! Get Piper. We have an angry demigod on the loose!" Will ordered. My half-sister Kayla took one look at me and she dashed out of the door. 15 seconds later, a beautiful girl with kaleidoscopic eyes, choppy brown hair and gorgeous tan entered the cabin. She's wearing a snowboarding jacket, her Camp Half-Blood t-shirt, a pair of boots and denim shorts. Despite her casual outfit, she makes it look luxurious.

"Hello." She greeted. "I'm Piper McLean. And you must be Arista."

"Yeah, I'm Arista." I replied.

"So, what seems to be the problem?"

I find myself beginning to relax in her presence. I sheathed my wakizashi.

"Well, my father aka APOLLO," I enunciated while glaring at him, "was reading my haikus without permission. I got mad because I never let anyone read them, even my own mother. I was afraid that someone will find them weird." I felt my cheeks heat after that. Piper nodded understandingly. She also glared at Apollo who was smiling sheepishly.

"I see. And it seems you have already calmed down."

"Actually, I'm not. I'm still itching to unsheathe my sword and slice them like sushi." I spoke in a menacing tone that Hades would be proud of. I could hear Apollo whimper and hiding behind Will.

"Oh dear… someone's sure is grumpy today. I tell you what, if Lord Apollo promises to the River Styx that he will never, and I mean NEVER, touch your stuff, would it be enough for you?" she asked. Now I don't have any idea how promises to the River Styx works but I agreed all the same.

"All right. You hear that, Lord Apollo? Arista won't get mad at you any further if you promise to the River Styx that you will never touch her stuff. Do you promise?" Piper called out. Apollo didn't answer immediately. So I drew out my wakizashi, walked to him and pointed the blade at his throat. I smiled sweetly at him.

"Just say the word, Daddy. You don't want to bleed golden _ichor_ in here, do you?" I threatened.

"Okay. I swear upon the River Styx that I won't touch your stuff without your permission." Apollo vowed. Then thunder echoed all throughout camp. Piper smiled.

"Well then, the deal is sealed. If you encounter some problems, just call me and I beat the Styx out of them."

"Thanks, Piper. Oh, and say hi to Vivian for me!" I waved goodbye while Piper skipped merrily back to Cabin 10. Will and Apollo relaxed and sighed with relief.

"Wow. You really are Anna's daughter, aren't you? I can't believe you're here at camp." Apollo said. I glared at him.

"You're damn right I am. The question is, why now? Why, after all these years, did you try and find me? You do know that I used to hate you for making Oka-san cry. She deserves so much better than you are. She was ostracized by her own family thanks to you. Why are you paying attention to me now?" I asked. Apollo's face was filled with shame. Well he should be because of what he has done.

"I'm sorry for being an absent father. But you know who I truly am, Arista. I can't mingle with mortals as long as I want. I have duties and responsibilities as a god. I didn't want to leave you defenseless, especially since you don't know about my true identity at all. I left your mother a weapon in case you ran into trouble. I may be absent most of the time but that doesn't mean I didn't care for you." Apollo spoke with sincerity that I immediately forgave him. I may have a nasty temper but I'm a forgiving person. But that doesn't mean I'm forgiving him that easily.

"Well then, I'll be going now." Apollo beamed at me and I had to shield my eyes because they're blinding me. No kidding, he must have bleached his teeth twice a day to make it sparkle. Before he leave, he says something that I will not forget.

"Your haikus are wonderful, Arista." And he left the cabin with a confused Will and a shocked me.

-x-x-x-

Capture-the-flag became one of my favorite activities at camp. Tonight, we're on the blue team with Athena, Nike, Aphrodite, Poseidon, Tyche, Hebe, Hypnos and Hermes. The other team includes Zeus, Hades, Ares, Hephaestus, Dionysus, Nemesis, Hecate, Demeter and Iris. I was so nervous that I didn't notice a dark-haired guy with sea-green eyes and a hot body going my way until I bumped into him. I managed to land gracefully (yeah, right). I landed on my butt. I groaned.

"Oh schist! I'm sorry, I didn't see you. Are you okay?" the guy asked. He held his hand out and I took it. I stood up and brush the dirt away from my pants.

"I'm okay. I wasn't looking at where I was going. By the way, I'm Arista, daughter of Apollo." I introduced. He gave me a kind smile.

"Percy Jackson, son of Poseidon." he replied. No freaking way. THE Percy Jackson?! Savior of Olympus twice?! One of the greatest heroes ever in the history of Camp Half-Blood?! And when I saw a girl who has curly blonde hair and gray eyes like Frederica, I restrained myself long enough to downplay my fangirling.

"Oh my gods... you're Percy Jackson. And you're Annabeth Chase?! Man, Will told me you guys are the most awesome heroes here at camp. I could tell by looking at you two." I was really lucky that we are teammates. I mean, me fighting alongside two camp legends?! I must be dreaming. I think I needed a pinch on the cheek to make sure I was still awake. Annabeth was scanning me from head to toe like I was a puzzle she's trying to solve. She's like Frederica.

"Yeah. So, good luck on your first capture-the-flag tonight. Nice meeting you!" Percy said and went to the Athena table with Annabeth. Meanwhile I was left alone plucking my bowstring until Winter came. They were wearing their standard bronze armor complete with a red-plumed war helmet. Winter is a cool guy who is really good with swords. Unlike his boisterous siblings, he likes to chill with a good book. According to him, he's a grandson of Athena. Ares fell in love with his mom because of her rash behavior which is unbecoming for an Athena kid.

"Hey Arista!" he greeted me.

"Yo! So, is this your first time doing capture-the-flag?" I asked. He smiled.

"Not really. I've been here since last year. Daniel and I used to tag along with each other before we came to camp. We're both runaways." his smile faded as if he's reliving a bad memory. I saw the same haunted look in his eyes that I found in Daniel's. I wonder what happened to them. Before I get the chance to ask him, Chiron came along with Mr. D and his satyrs.

"Heroes! You know the rules. Capture the enemy flag and bring it to your home territory. The creek serves as a boundary line. No more than two guardsa must be guarding the flag. It must be visible to the enemy team. The team captain of the red team is Clarisse La Rue. The team captain of the blue team is Percy Jackson. No intentional maiming. I will serve as battle medic and referee. Good luck!" he dismissed us with a stomp of his hoof. The campers went straight to the woods for the game. I was assigned to guard the flag along with Frederica while our siblings are with Percy and Annabeth for the assault.

Then the bushes moved. I grabbed my bow and nocked an arrow. I use blunt-tipped arrows so that I couldn't kill anyone. Anyway, Winter and some of his siblings are leading the offensive. When I saw his silver hair, I let my arrow loose. It hit him in the head.

"Ow!" he groaned. His siblings froze.

"Now, Frederica!" I shouted. Frederica drew out her dagger and launched herself into the fray. She slashed at her opponents while I cover her with my blunt-tip arrows. When I ran out of arrows, I drew out my wakizashi and fought alongside her. I remember my kendo training (I used to practice kendo during middle school) and I hit my opponents with the butt of my sword. After five minutes, Percy and Annabeth came running with the enemy banner. They made it on our side of the creek. We cheered as the banner changed to a grey one with a sea-green trident. Clarisse grumbled but she shook hands with Percy. Will called me to tend to the wounded in the infirmary.

-x-x-x-

"Wow, Arista. Your arrow nearly broke my skull." Winter said as Kayla healed him. I smiled sheepishly.

"Sorry. I got carried away. Well, at least you haven't broke your other bones." I said. Winter smiled at me despite the probable pain in his head.

"Yeah. I thought our plan was fool-proof. Daniel and his siblings manipulated the Mist around us but you still see through us. How did you do that?" he asked.

"Well, I've read some books with regards to the Mist and I think it includes the fact that it won't have any effects on alert enemies." I answered. He frowned as realization hits him.

"Oh. So, where is Daniel?"

"I'm right here." a voice replied. When I turned around, I saw Daniel with a leg and arm cast. He was still smiling though I could tell that his leg and arm bothered him.

"Dude, what happened to you?" I was incredulous about what happened to him that it shocked me to see him there.

"Well, I was surrounded by Athena kids and Annabeth beat me into a pulp. She's really scary." Daniel grinned although it seemed forced. That's when Frederica entered.

"Ouch. Dan, she beat you up pretty good, didn't she?" she teased. Daniel frowned.

"Very funny, Frederica. How about I cast a spell on you that will turn you into a squealing piglet, huh? Let's see who will be laughing this time." Daniel glared. Frederica wasn't scared of him. In fact, she's giggling. As far as I know, Athena kids don't giggle.

"Okay, Daniel." she teased. Daniel rolled his eyes at her.

"Whatever, Freddie."

-x-x-x-

That night, Winter and Daniel are discharged from the infirmary. They went back to their own cabins while I stayed in our cabin. I was busy making some haikus when someone knocked on the door. I put down my notebook and pen then went to answer the door. I was surprised to find Frederica standing there.

"Hey Arista. Uhm... can we talk for a sec? I have something to tell you." she said. The rest of my siblings are now preparing for bed. I looked at Will as if asking for permission. He nodded. So I grabbed Frederica by the arm and dragged her all the way to the back of the Apollo cabin.

"Okay, girl. Spill." I spoke.

"Well... you see, I have this...crush...on...a..boy." she began. My eyes widened in surprise. So I grabbed her shoulders and start shaking her.

"Oh my gods! Who is it?!" I nearly squealed. She clamped my mouth in fear of being discovered. I kept slapping her arm because I'm having difficulty in breathing. Good thing she understood. She lets go of me and I breathe in and out.

"Freddie, please tell me. I won't tattle. I promise." I said. However, Frederica hesitates. I just smiled and hugged her. "Whoever that is, he's lucky to have you. If he doesn't see that, then I will knock the Styx out of him." I vowed. She returned the hug.

"Thanks, Arista." she said and went back to her cabin. I went inside and collapsed on my bed. Before I knew it, I fell asleep. And nightmares began.

 **(A/N): Sorry for the cliffhanger, guys. Anyways, I'll post the next chapter as soon as I can. Bye for now!**

 **~GraceHunter1296, Daughter of Athena and Legacy of Olympus**


	5. Chapter 5

**Arista of the Far East**

 **By: GraceHunter1296**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own characters from Percy Jackson and the Olympians and Heroes of Olympus. Also OOR songs that may be included in this fan fic.**

 **(A/N): What's up, y'all? GraceHunter here with another chapter of Arista of the Far East! Anyway, thank you Indigo Jupiter and for the review. It really made my day. And thank you also to Isla102938 for following my story.**

 **Arista: On with the fic!**

 **Chapter 5**

 **First Quest**

I don't have many nightmares. But if one occurred, it usually starts in a concert hall. But this time, it felt different. I was standing in front of a burning Victorian mansion. The flames are spreading quickly and the firefighters are having a hard time putting it out. Then a man in his late thirties appeared with shock on his face. He was holding two bags of groceries at that time and he dropped it. He ran towards the house but two firemen stopped him. The man was desperately trying to break away from his captors but they didn't budge. All of a sudden, a boy no more than twelve came out of the burning house. He looks familiar though.

"Daniel! Where's Atalanta? Where's your sister?!" the man asked. Then that's when realization hit me: the boy is Daniel Hawthorn. He looks pretty much the same except for the absence of a scar on his right cheek. But he was scared. His trembling body and his tear-stained cheeks are proof of the fear he had.

12-year old Daniel sniffled and it looks like he would cry any second now.

Then the most disturbing thing happened. The man took Daniel by the arm and dragged him towards the burning house. Then he picks up a burning piece of wood. With a start, I figured out how Daniel got that scar. His own father gave it to him. His dad must have been cuckoo right from the start because no sane father would burn their own son's face with a burning wood. I could hear Daniel's screams. The next thing I knew, I was screaming and someone's shaking me.

"Arista, wake up!" Will's voice rang through my mind and as I fought through the streams of consciousness. My eyes flew open and I saw my brother's blonde hair and his warm brown eyes full of concern. I sit up with my head on my hands. I realized I was shaking.

My siblings are all up. Kayla is looking at me with concern. I guess nightmares were normal but still a pain for campers. Or it could be a sign from the gods. I don't know why they showed me Daniel's past. All of a sudden, something occurred to me. I picked up my notebook where I wrote my haikus. On the second page there was something that matched my dream.

 _Pain can bring a change_

 _That leaves nothing of your self_

 _Soon it will be gone_

 _Fire can kill and more_

 _And reminds you of your past_

 _That you want to run_

 _Now it haunts you dear_

 _No more love but more of fear_

 _You can't escape it_

I gasped in horror. Will was shocked as me. The haiku I wrote two days ago and the nightmare I had was a perfect match. Oh my gods… what the Hades is going on?! 

-x-x-x-

I bolted out of my cabin while still wearing my PJs and immediately went for the Hypnos Cabin. Frederica once told me that the senior counselor Clovis could help me deal with dreams. So without any inhibition, I pounded on their door as if a hundred _oni_ was banging it with their clubs. A girl about sixteen years old opened the door. I feel kind of guilty waking her up but this is an emergency…of sorts.

"Hello! Sorry for the wake-up call. Is your brother Clovis up?" I asked. The girl nodded and steps aside. I let myself in while she went back to her bed. From the outside, Cabin 15 looks like a prairie house with a branch of a poppy on the door. Inside were twelve fluffy beds and a warm fireplace. It's really cozy that I started yawning. But my nightmare made me snap back to reality. I saw a guy with a babyish face hugging a pillow while sitting in front of the fireplace. I realized that this person was indeed Clovis.

"O-Ohayo gozaimasu… (Good morning)" I said. He only opened one eye but I got his attention. He yawned.

"So, you must be Arista. I guess you're here because of your nightmare, hmm?" he guessed. I nodded. He gestured for me to sit on another chair opposite him. I sat down but the nightmare I just had was too disturbing that I didn't fall asleep despite the cozy feeling.

"Demigod dreams can be a glimpse to the future or to the past. And some of them can be a warning from the gods. I don't know why they showed you that but I think telling Chiron first would be the right thing to do. Considering he's been around for a really long time, I think he's the person to go to," he advised. I smiled at him and bowed in gratitude.

"Arigato gozaimasu, Clovis-san (Thank you, Clovis)," she replied and went straight for the Big House. I was reluctant to wake up Chiron though. But my discovery removed my inhibitions so I knocked on the door.

"Chiron-san? It's me, Arista. I have something to ask of you. I know it's a little early in the morning but this is urgent." I called out. I heard a clip-clop of hooves from the other side of the door. When Chiron opened it, my eyes widened when I saw his tail wearing a lot of curlers.

"Yes, Arista?" he asked in a weary voice. I totally forgot about the curlers on his tail and instead focused on my immediate situation.

"I know this is kind of crazy but I have something to tell you." I said and proceeded to tell him about my nightmare and the haiku I composed two days ago. Chiron was surprised when he learnt of this. It seems no child of Apollo has an ability to peer into the past.

"I will call a war council later. Be sure to attend the meeting, Arista. This is something we need to discuss further," he decided. I thanked Chiron and spread the word about a war council to the other senior counselors. I informed Will the instant I got back to the cabin.

"Oh I see. Did you tell Nico?" he asked.

"Yes. So did the other counselors. Although, Clarisse La Rue almost impaled me with her spear. Who knew Ares campers were not morning people." I mused. But Will's face indicated that he doesn't find it funny.

"Arista, this is serious. This could mean you'll be on your first quest. And you just got here. I wish…" he didn't finish the sentence. But his expression spoke the fears he has. Something about the quests makes him a little scared. Campers go to quests all the time. But some never came back alive. Will is afraid I may disappear forever.

Looking at him confirmed my earlier notion. So I hugged him to reassure him that things would be all right. After a moment, he hugged me back. 

-x-x-x-

After breakfast, Will and I went straight to the Big House. Half of the other senior counselors were there including Percy, Annabeth, Clarisse, Clovis, Will, Piper and Nico. A red-haired girl was sitting beside Chiron. By that time, all senior counselors are present. Some of them are not familiar to me. I immediately felt self-conscious. It's because I was facing the veterans of the camp.

"Everyone, Arista has something to tell all of you." He announced and beckoned me up front. By the way, the meeting was held at the rec room of the Big House. A stuffed leopard head, whom the campers called Seymour, growled slightly at me.

I cleared my throat before speaking. "Last night, I had a nightmare. It's a fragment from the past." I started explaining my dream. Some of them were clearly disturbed by it. And when I got to the part where I learned that my haiku matches the nightmare, Lou Ellen of Cabin 20 spoke up.

"So you're saying that my brother has everything to do with your nightmare?"

"Positive." I replied. "I saw him in my dream but he's twelve years old then and had no scars."

"And this sister of his, Atalanta, died in that fire?"

"Yes. He's really frightened by the incident that he was trying hard not to cry." I choked. Everyone was silent. But Nico broke it.

"And your haiku seems like a mirror version of it, right? When did you write it, Arista?"

"About two days ago before we played capture-the-flag. I'd met Daniel and his friends. But they didn't tell me anything about his past." I answered. Chiron scratches his beard in concentration.

Annabeth's gray eyes and my brown ones met. I don't know what she was thinking but she seems to be analyzing the statements she heard and thinking of the best approach. Finally, she spoke.

"I think there's more to Arista's dream than we thought. And to think a daughter of Apollo can really see through the past…this is big. Retrocognition is something that is rare among Apollo's kids."

I lowered my head to avoid the gazes of the other senior counselors. Only Rachel Dare managed to utter a single word.

"Well…I guess it's time for Arista's prophecy then. I have a feeling a quest is in order," she said. Will was about to object but Nico intercepted him.

"But Nico-"

"I hate to tell you this but Rachel's right. There's something big going on around here. And Arista will be the one to lead the quest. Besides, she can take care of herself. You should've seen her during sword practice at the arena. Even Percy and Annabeth were impressed with her skills and discipline." Nico countered.

"Neeks is right, Will. Arista is a pro in both the sword and the bow. She's a natural fighter." Percy smiled lazily.

"Yeah. And it's not like she's doing it alone." Annabeth teased. Will sighed in disbelief. He let the subject drop but wouldn't meet my eyes.

"If there are no objections, I will get the Sybilline Books now." Rachel said and went out. The counselors are tensed. When she came back, her face is pale. She looked at Annabeth and something like pity flashed in her eyes. I braced myself for the worst as she read one prophecy from the Sybilline Books.

" _A daughter of light shall lead the way_

 _To the land where sorrow was once ablaze_

 _A son of war shall walk alone_

 _Into the master of darkness's throne_

 _The son of magic shall face his fears_

 _And see a ghost crying through the years_

 _Athena's daughter visited by Death_

 _Will be the shield until her last breath"_

Annabeth's face was hard when she heard the last two lines of the prophecy. She will be saying goodbye to one of her sisters. She maintained her composure but her hands were shaking. Percy wrapped his arms around her while she's trying hard not to cry. Clarisse didn't speak for a while. Travis and Connor from the Hermes cabin were silent. Piper and her boyfriend Jason from the Zeus cabin were concerned for their friend. Chiron's face looked like it aged forty years. I guess being an immortal trainer of heroes means that you get attached to your students and see them die before eyes.

"Arista, we will announce the quest at tonight's bonfire. You will choose who will be your companions." Chiron said. I nodded and the war council broke out. 

-x-x-x-

Annabeth was still trying to compose herself after the meeting. I kind of feel bad for her. Losing a sibling might be painful for her. I tried to approach her to make sure she's okay. But Will told me that Percy got her covered.

"Don't worry about her, Arista. Annabeth is strong. She can get through this. Not to mention Percy has her back."

"I know, Will. But I can't help it." I replied. We are on our way to the dining pavilion when Daniel, Winter, Frederica and Vivian approached me with sullen looks on their faces. I guess they caught the mood of their senior counselors after the meeting.

"Lou Ellen is down in the dumps after that war council. What happened, Will?" Daniel asked. He looks worried for his sister that I almost told him about the proceedings. But Will gave him a vague answer.

"You will find out soon. It's a bit of a shock. That I can assure you." When we arrived at the dining pavilion, I went straight for the Apollo table without looking at anyone. Winter followed me while looking for the Ares campers. He stared at me and gave me a gentle smile. Honestly, it made him look cute. I smiled in return and sat at my table. After dinner, we went straight to the amphitheater (I forgot to tell you we have that) and started the bonfire. Mr. D wasn't around though which is a blessing. But everyone seems to be in a glum mood tonight. And Chiron's announcement will agitate them. I just hope I made a good decision of telling him about my retrocognition abilities. But this is a point of no return. Whatever happens tonight, I will go to a quest that may kill someone. Yipee.

 **(A/N): Yoshii! That's a wrap. By the way, I may not update for a while since I'm going to have my on-the-job training this summer. I'm sorry. But I'll try to update when I can. Thanks for the support! :3**

 **~ GraceHunter1296, Daughter of Athena and Legacy of Olympus**


	6. Chapter 6

**Arista of the Far East**

 **By: GraceHunter1296**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own anything except my OCs.**

 **A/N: Yo! This is GraceHunter. I just wanted to thank the following people for the support they have given me since I started writing this story: Jupanuma, , Indigo Jupiter, Stars-of-Radiance, and others. I'm glad that you like my story. Love you guys! On with the fic!**

 **Chapter 6**

 **The Companions**

During the bonfire, I was wringing my hands in anxiety. Out of 200 campers, three of them will accompany me on my quest in which one of us might get killed. I don't want to drag them into this. But Chiron made it clear the moment I agreed to go: I won't do this alone. So here I am, waiting for Chiron to spill the beans and get it over with. I risked a glance at the Athena campers. I spotted Percy comforting Annabeth and Frederica looking at me with grim understanding. Suddenly, I was afraid to go. I wanted to stay in camp with my brothers and sisters.

"Heroes!" Chiron began. "We have a quest. The leader of this quest is Arista Caroline Kisaragi, daughter of Apollo. My dear." He beckoned me forward. With shaking knees, I walked up front while taking it all in. All of the campers were staring at me.

"She will choose three companions for this quest as the prophecy requires. Arista, you may now choose," he said. My hands are shaking and I feel like fainting right now. But I shook it off. I held my head up high and spoke with confidence.

"For this quest, I will choose Daniel Hawthorne, son of Hecate and Winter Crestfall, son of Ares." I declared. The Hecate and Ares campers cheered for their siblings but Winter and Daniel were shocked. They did a good job of hiding it though. They walked to the center of the amphitheatre and stood by my side. "And for the third person who will go with us, I need a volunteer." That's when I choked. If one of the Athena campers volunteered for this, it seals the deal: he/she will not see another summer.

Everyone was silent. You could hear the monsters howling from the forest. It was only until Frederica stood up and walked towards us. Annabeth's eyes widened.

"I, Frederica Sophia Montez, volunteer for this quest," she announced. I feel my resolve started to waver when she said those words. Though we've been friends for a couple of weeks, I couldn't bear losing her. With a heavy heart, I accepted her as the third quest member.

After the bonfire, most of the campers returned to their cabins to retire. I was on my way to Cabin 7 when someone tapped my shoulder. I turned around and saw Daniel's grim expression. But it softened when he saw my face. Without thinking about it, he embraced me while I broke down. Ever since Rachel read the prophecy this morning, I've been scared out of my mind. And the pressure of being responsible for the others' safety is starting to get to me.

"Shhh... everything's going to be fine, Arista," he whispered and stroked my hair. I was still on the verge of sobbing uncontrollably but his voice calmed me down. He wiped my tears away and walked me back to my cabin.

Before I went in, Daniel waves goodbye as he went back to Cabin 20. I went straight for my bunk to get some sleep. We have to leave at sunrise. So, I thought I can get some rest. But unfortunately, it seems the gods, both Japanese and Greek, is messing with me tonight. Why is that, you ask? Well, after that last nightmare I had, I found myself in a suburban area where an eleven-year old version of Winter Crestfall was reading books. Then, a woman about thirty came out of the house and approached him. She was holding her _keitai_ (cellphone). Judging from the look on her face, the news she had just delivered to her son is really bad.

"What?! But... that can't be... He said he's going to come home... Mom... why?" Winter cried. His mother knelt down and hugged him. For a nightmare, this sure is heartbreaking. But the worst is yet to come. A hellhound almost as large as Mrs. O'Leary appeared out of nowhere and attacked the mother and son. Winter was scared. But his mom was ready. She drew out a dagger made from Celestial Bronze and attacked the hellhound while he hid behind the bushes. But when the hellhound managed to slash her with its claws, Winter knew he had to fight back. So he yells defiantly and grabs his mother's dagger. The hellhound tries to bite him but Winter struck it in the eye. The hellhound howled in pain and dissolve into dust.

Despite his bravery, Winter took one look from his mom and it really terrified him. When I peered down, I couldn't stifle my gasp. Her face was marred by huge claw marks that begins from her right temple and ends at her chin. And she was not breathing. Poor Winter was crying for help. But when the police came, he became the suspect for his mother's murder. But seeing that he's just an eleven-year old kid, he was rid of suspicion although the authorities wanted him in a foster home. Before they did, he already ran away with his backpack full of food and medical supplies. He also brought his mother's dagger. He took a bus bound for Maryland. He looked at his neighbourhood with wistfulness, knowing that he's no longer the innocent child he had been.

-x-x-x-

When I woke up, I felt tears falling down from my cheeks. I wiped them all away and reached for my notebook and pen. Once I calmed down, I began writing a haiku inspired by last night's dream.

 _Innocence is gone_

 _Replaced by haunted eyes_

 _The child vanishes_

I put it away and changed out of my pajamas. I was tying my shoelaces when Will and Kayla approach me with a backpack full of supplies. I said nothing as they hug me and wish me luck. I smiled though it was forced. After that dream, the last thing I want is to smile and pretend nothing happened.

When I went outside, Daniel and the others are ready. Leo was there too along with a girl with caramel hair in braids and wears denim over-alls over a black t-shirt. She smiled at me.

"Good luck with your quest, Arista. Here's the recurve bow and quiver you've requested," she handed the items to me and I bowed in gratitude. My wakizashi is strapped in my back along with my _yumi_ (Japanese longbow). When I touched my recurve bow, it became a yellow hairclip. The _yumi_ worked its magic too. It became a red tumbler though I have no idea how it turned out like that.

-x-x-x-

It appears Annabeth, Percy and the rest of the senior counsellors have come to see us off. Annabeth gave Frederica a warm hug. She was crying but the sisters didn't say anything to one another. Clarisse, though not as emotional as Annabeth, gave her brother a good briefing before giving him a spear which turned into a baseball bat when not in use. She even gave him a lecture on not being a burden to his other comrades. Winter smiled and hugged his sister though the daughter of Ares is uncomfortable about it.

Lou Ellen teased Daniel of having to go on a quest with 'two, beautiful young ladies' as she preferred to call us. Daniel blushed and told his sister to back off. She just laughed but her eyes flashed him a worried look. She handed him a spell book and a lot of protective charms. He also received a pack full of supplies: ambrosia, nectar, bandages and a whole lot more.

Finally, Argus-san pulled over. He's taking us to New York where we will be left on our own devices. Before we left, Will gave me a rundown of what to expect on quests and tells my comrades to protect me and make sure that I came back alive. I became annoyed but was touched by Will's concern for me. Good thing Nico was there to calm him down.

"Stop it, Solace. She gets the gist," Nico teased. Even Ian appeared just as I was about to get inside the camp van.

"Be careful out there, Arista," he said. I gave him a bear hug and closed the door. As the engine roared to life, I tried not to dwell on the possibilities that I may never see Camp Half-Blood again. What would happen to Mom? I'm sure that will devastate her. But there's nothing to be done.

As we reached New York, Argus-san drops us off at the Empire State Building. I'm not a native of this city and it posted a major problem. Good thing Daniel knows his way around here. He led us to the nearest bus stop while I tell them the prophecy.

"Ugh! I give up! This prophecy is starting to piss me off!" Winter yelled. Frederica tries to calm him down while Daniel and I rack our brains to interpret the prophecy. My guess is the first thing we need to do is to visit Daniel's old home. However, Daniel isn't too forthcoming with answers regarding his past. That's why we need to get started somewhere before it gets dark. We don't know any safe places that we could hide in to avoid monsters.

Finally, after much coaxing, Daniel gave us the address of his former home. It's in Morristown. After buying tickets, we hop on to the last bus bound to Morristown. Frederica sat next to Winter and I sat next to Daniel. I took the window seat.

The whole ride was uneventful, save from Daniel and Frederica's bantering. I found myself smiling at them. But Winter's a different story. While watching them banter, I saw something in him: longing. I got a little curious but withhold my judgment until we reached Morristown.

We hopped out of the bus and went to Morristown Parks and Recreation. We set up camp and Winter took the first one as we sleep.

"Wake me up after two hours, okay?" I told him before tucking myself in. Of course, there's the occasional demigod dream. What a night...

 **A/N: Yoshi! There we go. I hope you like it. Keep those reviews coming!**

 **~GraceHunter1296, daughter of Athena and Legacy of Olympus**


	7. Chapter 7

**Arista of the Far East**

 **By: GraceHunter1296**

 **A/N: Hey there folks! It's GraceHunter with another chapter! Thanks for for sending love to my story. It really warms my heart to see that Arista's story is having a great audience. I'm really grateful for your support. I really am.**

 **Annabeth: Now before GraceHunter burst into tears-**

 **Percy: GraceHunter doesn't own me or Annabeth or any other character from PJO and HoO. Except her OCs.**

 **Annabeth: No fair, Seaweed Brain!**

 **Percy: What? You're taking too long to do the disclaimer!**

 **Me: Now, now. Don't start fighting here. The Aphrodite cabin will have my head if you two broke up. *shudders***

 **Percy: Fine. Love you, Wise Girl. *kisses Annabeth's forehead***

 **Annabeth: Right back at you, Seaweed Brain. *kisses Percy and they started making out***

 **Me: GET A ROOM, YOU TWO!**

 **Athena: On with the fic!**

 **Chapter 7**

 **My Father's Favorite Daughter**

By the time I woke up, it was already morning. Despite the birds singing happily while perched on tree branches, I have the urge to smack Winter upside the head. I told him to wake me up after two hours! But when I tried to look for him, he's gone. I tried not to panic as I roamed around the park. That's when I saw him talking with Daniel while sitting on a park bench. They seem to be discussing something serious before I butt in.

"Ohayo!" I greeted. They looked at me with curiosity. "In case you're wondering, it's 'good morning' in Japanese."

"Oh. Good morning, Arista." Daniel smiled but it lacked its usual warmth. My senses are telling me that something's up. Now that I think about it, I haven't seen Frederica since I woke up.

"Uhm... guys, where's Frederica?" I asked. Winter and Daniel looked at each other and ran back towards our makeshift camp. I trailed behind them. We sighed in relief when we see her with a paper bag full of food.

"Hey guys! What's up?" she said and hands us our breakfast. That's when I saw scratches on her arms. As I looked at her face, I saw similar scratches on her cheeks. But she gives us a smile like nothing happened.

"Say Freddie, where did you get this?" I asked. She stopped nibbling her burrito and looked at me strangely.

"At a convenience store. Where else?" she replied tersely.

"You didn't run into monsters on the way to the _konbini_ (convenient store), did you?" I spoke, my voice filled with tension. This time, Daniel and Winter noticed the scratches on her face and arms.

"I ran into some _empousai_ but I finished them off. I'm okay." Frederica sounds a bit defensive but I didn't point it out. However, Winter broke his silence.

"Freddie, you should've asked us to accompany you to the convenient store. You're lucky you just run into some _empousai_ and not a Cyclops." Winter admonished. Frederica became mad.

"Are you insinuating that I can't handle things on my own, huh Crestfall?!" she hissed. That's when Winter almost blew his top.

"I'm not insinuating anything! I'm surprised that you, a daughter of Athena, would do something reckless by going off alone in a place full of monsters. For Hades' sake, please refrain from doing something that will get you killed!" he roared. Finally, I couldn't take it anymore.

"IKAGENISHIRO! (Stop it!)" I shouted. Winter and Frederica turned their heads on me.

"Gods, fighting won't get us anywhere! You two better patch things up or I'll do something you won't like." I threatened. Winter mumbled an apology and Frederica and she accepts it. Daniel was watching the exchange while sipping his green tea. I sighed in relief.

"Now that we had our breakfast, let's get out of here before somebody sees us. Daniel, do you still remembered the address of your old house?" I asked. Daniel nodded.

"It's actually a few blocks from here. But I don't know if the house is still intact." He replied.

"Only one way to find out. Let's go." I prodded. The others followed me. I was holding my wakizashi while observing Frederica and Winter. They still won't talk after their earlier spat this morning. That's when I thought I saw Daniel glanced at me. His good eye is filled with curiosity that stupid me had to hide my blush. And that blasted son of Hecate has the gall to smile at me! I usually had no problems with guys but when he traipsed into my life, my inner _tsundere_ made an appearance. And she's not looking happy.

-x-x-x-

By the time we arrived at his old neighbourhood, Daniel stiffened. Frederica glanced at him with worry. But Winter saw different. He was glaring at her. Now, I don't want to assume anything, but it seems there's a love triangle going on right now.

 _You mean a love square?_

Oh great. Now I have a voice inside my head.

 _Admit it, honey. You have a crush on him,_ says the voice which DOESN'T sound like me. First of all, it's a male's baritone. And I think I know who that is. Just wait until I get back to camp. He will taste the blade of my wakizashi.

Fortunately, that voice stopped. But uneasiness replaced it. As we walked towards the house, a man in his early forties appeared on the porch. When he saw Daniel, however, his whole demeanour changed. His eyes, the same hazel as Daniel's, flashed in anger. We took several steps back.

"You! How dare you come back here! After what you did to Atalanta... get out of here, you bastard! And don't come back!" he shouted angrily. But Daniel wasn't fazed by the man's anger. Instead, what he feels now is shame and guilt. He didn't even fight back when he got punched in the face. The rest of us gasp in shock.

"Schist! Daniel?" Winter said as he helped his best friend up. Daniel was shaking his head as if testing his jaw for injuries. And just as we tried to get away, Winter balled his fist and gave Daniel's dad a punch in the gut. I was beyond horrified. He grabbed the man by the collar.

"You jerk! You have no right to call him that. If anything, you're the bastard because you've abandoned your son when he needs you the most! Do you have any idea what he had been through? He almost killed himself with guilt when Atalanta died. He was all alone and being targeted by monsters! He fought during the Titan War on the wrong side! Then he ran away from camp, away from the people who cared about him. And he saved me from monsters when I was on the run! So don't you dare say you're the victim here! Daniel suffered as much as you did." Winter yelled. It took all three of us to restrain him and made him let go of the man. Gods, he was livid enough to kill him. He was shaking with it.

The man's eyes were filled with hatred. All of a sudden, he laughed without humor.

"Oh really? Do you think he changed his ways just because he saved you from monsters?" he asked and continued laughing mockingly. Suddenly I have the urge to strangle him. This is the one whom the goddess Hecate fell in love with? Disgusting.

"You're no better than him, you bastard. As far as I can see, you fit in right with the others in the Fields of Punishment. I'm sure Lord Hades will accommodate you." I snarled. The man quieted. I maybe a middle school student but I do know people who have a holier-than-thou attitude. It makes me want to cut off his head. Daniel looked at his father in the eye and to be honest, he looks menacing.

"I didn't come back here just so you could point fingers at me. I did it to conquer my past and move on. You won't hear anything from me again after this," he said. His dad didn't speak for a minute. Then he sighed in resignation.

"Fine. But once you leave my house, don't bother coming back."

"I won't. Besides, this is not my home anymore. Camp Half-Blood is." Daniel replied and the four of us went inside.

-x-x-x-

The interior of the house has 'hazard' written all over it. The walls and ceiling has cracks and the pillars are home to termites. Pictures are placed haphazardly against the wall. One was a picture of Daniel when he was younger along with an older girl about three years older than him. She's pretty with her wavy auburn hair and hazel eyes.

"That's my sister Atalanta." Daniel's voice shook at the sight of his sister's photograph. I could see the loneliness in his eye as he stares at the picture. I wanted to hug him tight and tell him everything's going to be fine but I stopped myself. He and I have known each other for weeks but that doesn't mean I'm allowed in his personal space.

My thoughts kept wondering until a tap from Frederica brought me back from reality.

"Hey. Are you okay?" she asked in a soft voice. I nodded.

"I know how you feel. Daniel's past is a very touchy subject. It must be hard on him to face it after five years."

Frederica and I went upstairs to look for the boys. They were in Daniel's old room. Daniel was looking for something in his drawers but when I saw the content of those drawers, I blushed furiously. So did Frederica.

"Oh schist!" Daniel cursed as he gathered a messy pile of his underwear and dumped it under his bed. Winter was not helping. Instead, he was laughing his face off.

"Oh my gods! Dude, you were wearing The Incredibles boxers?!" Winter almost shouted in glee. Daniel glared at him.

"Haha. Very funny, Crestfall. Real mature." He muttered before he searched the next drawer. His eyes lit up when he found what he was looking for: a medallion with a crest. It was a phoenix rising from the ashes. Judging from the look on his face, Daniel was struggling with mixed emotions.

"What's that?" Winter asked.

"It's a gift. From Atalanta. She gave it to me on my 11th birthday. She says that a phoenix rise from the ashes and I will too during dark times. Whenever I felt worthless, I think of a phoenix and I will try again." he choked. Frederica pulled him for a hug. For a moment, I feel a little jealous. Then I caught myself before I do something stupid. When I looked at Winter, any painter will have a hard time capturing the emotions in his face right now. It's a mix of happiness and pain. I've been meaning to ask him if he has a crush on Frederica. But I decided against it. As quest leader, it isn't my place to interfere with my comrades' personal affairs. But if it's tearing the group apart, I have to intervene.

Anyway, I jotted down the prophecy on my notebook. I read the first two lines to analyze it.

 _A daughter of light shall lead the way_

 _To the land where sorrow was once ablaze_

So the land 'where sorrow was once ablaze' turns out to be Daniel's old house. But why did the quest lead us here? As I read these particular lines, I believe we were mislead by our interpretation of the prophecy. And somehow, I think Daniel's medallion serves as a clue to our destination. But before I had the chance to share my findings, there's a loud crash coming from downstairs. We all tensed as we grabbed our weapons and headed downstairs. I was holding my wakizashi when the culprit appeared. It was Daniel's dad.

"What are you kids looking at?" he spat. Suddenly, something broke the kitchen window and snatched his dad right away. Daniel watched in horror when he saw a reptilian head. When we went outside, my knees went soft, like jelly. But Winter being Winter, pulled out his spear and shield. With a battle cry that can be heard even in New Jersey, he charged at the monster.

Oh, speaking of monster, the one Winter is tangoing with is a _drakon._ Take note, _drakons_ are different from dragons. _Drakons_ are serpentine creatures which looks like a dragon but without wings. They are big and really mean. The only thing that can kill them is a child of Ares. Thank the gods we have Winter.

Winter fought like he'd been raised to use a spear. I mean, c'mon! He's toying with the drakon. And when he chucked his spear through the drakon's throat, it dissolved into dust. He was panting like crazy.

"Are you guys okay?" he asked. We nodded. That night we stayed at Daniel's house. The next day, we left Morristown. Before we go, I relayed to them what I just found out. Frederica was about to say something but she looked as if she decided against it.

So we decided to head back to the park. We made camp and as we get ready for bed, a hawk flew down and perched on the bench near me. It was staring at me intently, which is really creepy. The hawk flew away and I had the urge to follow it. I didn't want to leave them though.

"Hey guys, I'm going to the little demigod's room. I'll be right back." I said and didn't wait for their reply. I followed the hawk which was leading me to the woods. I ran deep through the forest and when I found the hawk, it landed on the ground and transformed into a familiar figure.

"Dad. What are you doing here?"

 **A/N: And cut! That's chapter 7, guys. Anyways, I might not be able to update this story because I will start my OJT tomorrow. I'll try to update while I can and hope that you will still support this story.**

 **BYe for now!**

 **~GraceHunter1296, Daughter of Athena and Legacy of Olympus**


	8. Chapter 8

**Arista of the Far East**

 **By: GraceHunter1296**

 **A/N: Hey guys! It's me with another chapter of Arista of the Far East. Before anything else, I would like to thank Digidestined10, Indigo Jupiter and RockRoy for their reviews. You really made my day. And for the disclaimer, please welcome the Supersized McShizzle himself, Leo Valdez!**

 **Leo: What's up, y'all? Leo Valdez here. Without further ado, GraceHunter doesn't own Percy Jackson and the Olympians series and its spin-off series, Heroes of Olympus. If she does, Percy and Annabeth will have lots of kids with names Phoenix, Max, Alastair and a lot of other weird names. Oh, and she says she doesn't own any songs that Arista may sing in this fan fic.**

 **Annabeth: *blushing* What the Hades, Leo?!**

 **Percy: WE'RE TOO YOUNG FOR THAT! We haven't gone to college yet. Do you want Athena to kill me, Valdez?! *enraged***

 **Leo: Uhm... should I make a run for it?**

 **Me: Yes. Yes, you should.**

 **Aphrodite: On with the fic!**

 **Chapter 8**

 **Phoenix**

I was surprised my father was here to check up on me. Embarrassing, true, but I feel relieved that he was watching my progress. The thing is a god doesn't pop up like a mushroom if he/she doesn't want something done. So naturally, I became wary of my father's intentions. Percy told me that bit about gods having different agendas when they appear out of nowhere.

"Hello, Arista," he greeted. I bowed in return.

"What are you doing here, Otou-sama? Are you here to send me on a side quest?" I asked with a hint of annoyance in my voice. My father just smiled.

"That's not my intention. I know I can't interfere with your quest but I'm here to give you advice. Go to Palm Springs and find the last living phoenix. She will tell you how to proceed with your quest. Give her Daniel's medallion," he advised. My eyebrow was raised before I could stop it.

"The last phoenix? Why would we need her?"

"It's not the question of why you need her. It's supposed to be why she needs you. The medallion will be your clue. But hurry, Arista. You must find her before she falls into the wrong hands," he said and began to glow. I covered my eyes until he was gone. I hurriedly went back to our camp.

"Arista, are you okay? You look pale." Daniel noticed. I shook off whatever fuzzy feelings stirring inside my chest and focused on the information that my father gave me. While I was telling them about the last living phoenix, Frederica's face is getting paler by the minute. When I told them about our destination, I'm pretty sure she was going to bolt.

"Palm Springs? Are you serious, Arista?" Frederica tensed. I braced myself for a showdown because everyone knows that a child of Athena will never back down from a fight.

"I'm serious, Freddie. Apollo told me that we must find the last living phoenix. Daniel's medallion is the clue, I think." I answered. But Frederica looks cornered. I don't know why but something tells me that she's hiding something. Poor Freddie is shaking. I'm afraid she will have a panic attack. I looked at Winter but it seems it was unnecessary. He inched closer to Frederica and gave her a hug.

"Don't worry, Freddie. I'll protect you. That's a promise," he whispered. Having Winter's arms around her calmed her down.

 _Who knew you're a matchmaker, my dear._ Once again, that intruding voice is disrupting my concentration.

 _Shut up,_ I mentally scolded it.

"We need to go to Morristown Airport. Anybody got cash for airplane tickets?" Daniel asked. Well, before I left camp, Will gave me mortal money and a pouch full of golden drachmas. I hope it's enough for a plane ticket to Palm Springs.

"I think we need to do what we have to do." Frederica decided. I raised my eyebrow.

"Got any ideas, Freddie?" Winter asked. Frederica was smiling like a cat and it seems she has a good idea which involves embarrassing escapades. My suspicions are confirmed when she told us her idea.

"How would you like to sing in front of people, Arista?" she grinned. Oh gods! Not singing!

-x-x-x-

We are in a mall in Morristown and I was trying not to faint when we are positioned in the sidewalk. Daniel brought his guitar along (he used to play it when he was a kid) and I was sitting on a stool while thinking of a song.

"So, what songs do you know?" Frederica asked.

"Mostly Japanese rock but I don't know American ones." I replied. Daniel smiled.

"That's funny. I learned a bunch of Japanese songs in my spare time." He said. Winter raised an eyebrow at that.

"How did you-?"

"Magic, dear Crestfall. Magic and a good Internet connection from the Big House," he smirked. Winter rolled his eyes at him.

"So Arista, what's the song you're going to sing?" Frederica asked. I thought about it and borrowed Daniel's guitar. I strummed a few chords before I got the right one. No one is paying attention to me yet but then the idea of singing in front of my friends still scare me. But as I look at them, they filled me with courage. So I started singing my favourite song.

 _It started out as any other story_

 _Then the words began to fade away_

 _Oh your smile used to make me smile_

 _But lately I don't feel that way_

 _Try to remember what brought us together_

 _And to forget what's driven us apart_

 _You know you can't wait here forever_

 _Just making time, but going nowhere_

By then, many people have gathered to hear me sing. I didn't feel so self-conscious anymore. In fact, I was enjoying it.

 _Is this our last dance?_

 _Can't we take another chance?_

 _To be alone together still_

 _Are we wasting time?_

 _Chasing dreams not yours or mine_

 _I care for you_

 _I always will_

 _You know I always will..._

The crowd cheered and gave me money. By then, we have enough for a plane ticket for five people to Palm Springs. My cheeks became red with embarrassment but Daniel was grinning like a proud dad.

"That. Was. Amazing. You didn't tell me you have a great voice, Arista." Daniel grinned. Winter nodded with approval and Frederica smiled. I blushed.

"Thanks, guys. Come on, we need to get to the airport." I reminded them. So we hailed a cab and hopped on to our next stop.

The problem is there's no direct flight from Morristown to Palm Springs. I was dejected at that point. I was trying hard not to cry until Daniel spoke with the person on the front desk and left the airport. Frederica is busy comforting me while Winter is on the lookout for monsters. Forty minutes later, Daniel came back. Guess what he brought with him? That's right, folks. A car. Not just any car though but a beautiful Toyota Prius.

"Hop in, guys," he said and smiled like a movie star. My stomach did a hundred flips before it settled down. I went to the passenger door and hopped in. Winter and Frederica occupied the back. Since there's no direct flight from Morristown to Palm Springs, we decided to go to Michigan and book a flight there. The front desk lady was kind enough to do it for us.

Thankfully Daniel is two years older than me and has a driver's license. Otherwise, we're in deep trouble.

-x-x-x-

During our trip, Daniel and I took turns asking questions about ourselves. We laughed at each other's embarrassing escapades. We turn serious whenever we broached a touchy subject. Once we had to wake Winter to let him drive. We found out three hours later that letting the son of Ares drive is like signing your own death warrants. Frederica is not much better either. Whenever she drives, she steps the accelerator too hard or mistaking the gas pedals for brakes. I prayed to all the Olympians and yes, to the Shinto gods too, that we will get to Detroit in one piece.

Thank the gods we made it to Detroit alive. A word of advice: never let two kids with trigger-happy urges to drive a Prius. It will only be a one-way trip to Asphodel, Elysium if we're lucky. I was shaking pretty badly and Daniel was sitting on the ground while hugging his knees and saying, "Oh my gods" a hundred times. After that, we got chased by the police thanks to Winter's daredevil driving. Believe me, evading a lot of cop cars is like asking Apollo to do the cha-cha while wearing a toga and five-inch heels. In short, VERY HARD.

-x-x-x-

We made it to the airport without a hitch (read: yeah, right). The mortal police are hot on our trail. We spend all day trying to dodge them. Gods, I'm not ready to go to jail. I'm like, 15 years old! Good thing Daniel and Winter are experts when it comes to slipping away from cops. By the end of the day, we are so exhausted that we almost pass out at a park.

"Remind me not to let Crestfall drive the damn car." Frederica muttered. Daniel, however, looks ashen.

"My dad will kill me if he finds out I ditched his Prius in Detroit. I'm in so much trouble," he grumbles. I had a feeling Daniel's dad will whip his butt after this quest is over. However, Winter seems to be the only one in high spirits.

"Oh yeah. I'd like to see that," he grinned. Frederica glared at him. He gulped loudly.

Since we're homeless for tonight, Winter and Daniel took us to their so-called safe house here in Detroit. I remembered him telling me that they used to be runaways until a satyr stationed in Ohio found them and took them to camp. According to them, it was three months after the Battle of Manhattan occurred. The satyr, Collin, found them running away from cops. He could tell they're half-bloods. So he protected the two on their journey to Long Island. Unfortunately, their satyr was killed in a skirmish with an _empousa_.

The safe house is a makeshift tree house inside a sequoia tree. It's really spacious and could fit five people. While Frederica and Winter are on the lookout for trouble, Daniel and I are preparing to go to bed after discussing battle strategies.

"Nee Daniel-kun, don't you think they're spending a lot of time with each other?" I whispered while pointing at the two talking outside the tree house. Daniel followed the direction my finger is pointing at and saw Winter and Frederica having a serious conversation.

"Just let them be, Arista. C'mon, let's get some sleep." Daniel chided. I pouted at him and went to my sleeping bag. Before I knew it, I fell asleep. That's when I found myself in a dream.

I was in a very warm place full of palm trees and suburban neighborhoods. I looked around and spotted someone. She has blonde hair but this is all I could see because she was sitting under a tree and reading. To get a closer look, I walked towards her and frankly, I was surprised it was an eleven-year old version of Frederica. She looks like Annabeth except for the hair. They may be blonde but my friend has strawberry blonde hair.

"Freddie!" A girl about three years older than her approached her. She has jade green eyes like her but her hair is the color of fire. She reminds me of Rachel Dare to be honest. Anyway, Frederica's face lit up when she saw the older girl.

"Flannery!" The girl beamed. Flannery smiled and ruffled Frederica's hair.

"What did I tell you about calling me that? You know that's not my real name." she said.

"But it's a perfect nickname for you. It might be weird if I started calling you by your real name. Besides, we're friends, right? I mean, friends give each other nicknames. At least that's what the book says," Frederica blushed. Flannery laughed.

"Freddie, you're so cute," she cooed. Frederica giggled. Suddenly, a loud honk caught both of their attention. When the car swerved towards Flannery, Frederica pushed her away in time but she got hit instead. I gasped in shock and horror as Flannery approached her friend's now still body.

"Oh my gods…Freddie... No." she cried. By the time the ambulance arrived, Frederica is severely injured. Then the dream shifted. I was in a morgue. I saw Flannery along with a man with sandy blonde hair. His brown eyes are puffy from crying. When I saw what's on the metal table, I became numb. Lying there was my friend. I couldn't comprehend what's going on. All I could see is Frederica's dead body.

"It's my fault." Flannery cried. "The car was supposed to hit me. She saved my life." She shed tears for her best friend. Then the weirdest thing happened. One minute she was human, the next a bird.

"What are you going to do, Fina?" the man asked. Flannery looked at him with sad eyes.

"Your daughter will live on. I shall see to it that the world would still have Frederica in it," she replied. That's when she began to transform. By then, someone was waking me up.

When I open my eyes, Winter and Frederica are fighting something outside. Daniel is armed with his spell book. I picked up my wakizashi and bow and arrows before heading out. What I saw shocked me, no pun intended.

The monsters we're facing are like mini tornadoes. One was shaped like a winged man. On the other hand, his companions are shaped like horses. Gods. I could feel their hate and anger from where I stand. But hesitation would kill me and my friends if I didn't act soon. So I did what a daughter of Apollo has to do: draw and shoot. I hit one of the horses and it turned into dust. But the winged guy called more of them. Winter kept jabbing the winged guy with his spear but it only passes through. The winged guy laughed.

"Is that the best you can do, son of Mars? Your Roman brothers and sisters are far better in combat than you!" he said.

Son of Mars? Why did he call Winter a son of Mars? His dad is Ares.

Winter growled and shouted a battle cry. The skies might be darker and the winds stronger but it didn't stop his voice from being heard all the way from Olympus.

"FOR ARES!" he shouted and there was a red light emanating from him. The winged man was astonished as his companions. Winter drew his spear and jabbed anything that gets in his way. Frederica is gaining ground too. She moves so fast with her dagger in hand, her opponents didn't stand a chance against her. Being a daughter of Athena I wouldn't expect anything less from her. I shot my last arrow and it lodged at the winged man's shoulder. He glared at me and shot me with a lightning bolt. My reaction time is a bit slow and the bolt found its mark. I screamed in pain and collapsed.

"Arista! Winter…out…of…here!" I could hear Daniel's voice but it sounds so far away. My vision is getting blurry by the minute until I can only see darkness.

 **A/N: Yoshii! That's it for Chapter 8. Please feel free to leave a review or two or I'll let Apollo recite terrible haikus all week! XD**

 **Bye!**

 **~GraceHunter1296, Daughter of Athena and Legacy of Olympus**


	9. Chapter 9

**Arista of the Far East**

 **By: GraceHunter1296**

 **A/N: Hello world and all inhabitants! GraceHunter here. So far, we have 9 chapters of Arista of the Far East. Thank you to all the people who made my 777 views possible. It made me really happy. Thank you also to Indigo Jupiter for her wisdom (long story). And for the disclaimer, please welcome Jason Grace!**

 **Jason: Thank you, GraceHunter. Without further ado, GraceHunter doesn't own PJO and HoO and OOR. What's OOR?**

 **Me: It's an abbreviation for One Ok Rock.**

 **Jason: You mean the band Arista loves so much? That...Korean band?**

 **Me: *offended* They're Japanese, Jason Grace! Don't you dare call them Korean or I'll personally send you to Asphodel! *angry* *Jason backs away***

 **Piper: You had to piss her off, didn't you?**

 **Jason: How should I know they're Japanese?! Pipes, please make her calm down. I have dreams!**

 **Me: *draws out my bow and arrow and prepares to shoot Jason***

 **Percy: Whoa! *grabs me from behind* Easy there, tigress. Annabeth! A little help here!**

 **Zeus: On with the fic! *meanwhile chaos ensues as I shoot arrows at Jason***

 **Chapter 9**

 **Like I'm Going to Lose You**

 **(Daniel's POV)**

Winter grabbed Arista as we ran from battle. The storm spirits or _ventus,_ if you wanted to be Roman about it, chased us until we reached a clearing. As I prepare to cast a spell, Frederica ran towards the winged guy whose name I didn't know. She approached it with caution while thinking of her next move. The winged guy laughed at her mockingly.

"A child of Minerva! Please child, drop that dagger before you kill yourself. Just go back to your silly camp and make your silly little projects," he mocked. Frederica's eyes flashed in anger. Winged Guy no longer finds her amusing. Instead, he was scared of her. Well, he should be. Rule Number One: When dealing with a daughter of Athena, mock her at your own risk. And never, and I mean NEVER, call their mother by her Roman aspect. Ever since the Greeks, led by Annabeth, discovered that the Romans have removed Athena's importance in battle strategy, the goddess became the Hater Numero Uno of the Romans. But it's all in the past now since the Athena Parthenos was retrieved and returned by Reyna Avila Ramirez-Arellano (wow, her name's so long) to Camp Half-Blood. But some of her children were still pissed off with being compared to their Roman siblings. Telling them to make some arts and crafts project and leave the battle strategies to children of Mars or Bellona was an insult. And boy did Frederica showed that an angry Athena girl is a nightmare to behold.

After sending our unfortunate friend to Tartarus, we looked for Winter and we found him at the bus stop. He's cradling Arista's head. I prayed to my mom and Arista's dad that she will be okay.

-x-x-x-

I approached them cautiously. Winter's eyes were wide as saucers. He and I shared that look far too many times when we're on the run. My heart was in my throat at that time as I slowly knelt on the ground to check on Arista. When I checked for her pulse, I tried not to panic. It was weak and I was beyond horrified that I will lose her right there. To avoid being seen by mortals, I manipulated the Mist around us. Nico's Roman sister Hazel taught me how to do it.

I grabbed my canteen which is filled with nectar and put some healing herbs in it. I chanted in Ancient Greek like what Lou Ellen taught me. After the spell, I was a little light-headed but I was able to make Arista drink the stuff. But the fear is still there. Back at camp, I was one of the lousiest magic-users and if this doesn't work now, I might lose her forever. And that is something I can't live with.

I was holding her hand, begging her to hold on. By that point, I'm really scared out of my mind. This is not the first time that I've been in a life-or-death situation but it still unnerves me. Without another healer in the team, Arista's life is in my hands.

Since it's getting dark, we decided to head for another safe house in Detroit. We've got plenty of them here. Winter carried Arista on my back while Frederica and I are on high alert for monsters. We reached the safe house without a hitch. But we never let our guard down. Despite the feeling of light-headedness, I draw a protective circle around us using advance magic. My mother Hecate warned me about using too much magic. Like ambrosia, if we use magic too much, it will burn us out. But if it means I will be able to protect my friends, so be it.

I didn't notice it until much later that I was on the verge of killing myself until Frederica forced a square of ambrosia and I regained my senses. Winter was looking at me with worry. Gods, I was stupid.

"You're an idiot, you know that?" he whispered. I smiled like I got a shot of Novocaine. My head feels like it's been covered with wool. In short, I feel fluffy.

"How's Arista? Is she..." I trailed off. Frederica's face showed pain. Seeing her expression, I feel like jumping in the River Styx and drown. Tears started to blur my vision as I bawled like baby. My spell didn't work. I failed. I failed this quest. I failed Arista. Gods, how are we going to tell Will that his sister died?

I had her in my arms. She's cold to the touch. Her lips are turning blue. But I didn't let go of her. She was the only one who sees me behind the Mist I shrouded myself in. She sees me as a person, not a hideous human being with the scar. Now she's gone. And it's all my fault.

Suddenly, there's a loud banging coming from the door. We tensed. Winter dared to sneak a peek. He took several steps back. His face was pale.

"What is it?" I asked.

"It's a hellhound. We need to leave, now!" Winter replied. The barriers are starting to break. But I couldn't move. I'm still holding Arista's lifeless body but I couldn't just leave it behind. Frederica and Winter are getting up to leave. But I was still glued to the floor.

"Daniel! We need to leave!" Winter shouted but it went through my deaf ears. I just wanted to sit tight and watch as the hellhound end my sorry life. I couldn't let it devour what's left of Arista.

"No. I'm not leaving," I said. Winter stared at me as if I'm going crazy.

"Have you lost your marbles?! There's a hellhound on our trail. We need to leave before we turned to doggie treats!" he argued.

"Daniel, please." Frederica pleaded. "Arista died a hero. Please don't let her die in vain." Part of me thinks she's right. But the other half insists that I should stay behind and protect her.

"Oh for gods' sake!" Winter muttered and dragged me away from Arista. I started kicking and screaming.

"Daniel, gods damn it! Arista's dead. We have to go!" he said. The despair in his voice sobered me up. With a heavy heart, I used fire magic to burn the place down. With tears on our eyes, we ran for safety and didn't look back. But it didn't lessen my guilt. As our safe house was embraced by my flames, so did the sadness started to engulf my heart.

-x-x-x-

After our disastrous departure from Detroit, we make haste to Palm Springs. I was driving and I wasn't talking to anyone. Her death affected us all. It was like taking the sunshine away and was replaced by a harsh storm bringing only rain and isolation. Winter and I took turns driving until we arrived in Palm Springs, California. Frederica was agitated. I couldn't blame her. California is a favourite spot for monsters, gods know why. We stop by at a diner where we ate.

We were low in morale that day. Losing Arista was a huge blow on all of us. It wasn't until late afternoon that I spoke with both of them.

"We need to contact Will. He has the right to know what happened to Arista." I said. Winter nodded and stood up.

"We're going to need a prism and a flashlight. Do you have any drachmas?" he asked.

"I have one." Frederica answered and gave me a drachma. Winter sets off to find a prism. About 20 minutes later, he came back.

"I borrowed these from a guy across the street," he handed me the prism and a flashlight. I turned it on and pointed it at the prism. It produced a beautiful rainbow.

"O Iris, goddess of the rainbow, please accept my offering." I prayed and toss the drachma into the rainbow. It vanished.

"Show me Will Solace at Camp Half-Blood." I said. The rainbow shimmered and a video call was made. Will is at the infirmary with Nico. I would love to mutter a few curses to Tyche or Nemesis for my bad luck. But we can't go back now. This is serious.

"Hey Will." I greeted. Will turned around and smiled at me. It made it even harder for me to break the news to him.

"Oh, hey Daniel. How's the quest going? Is Arista there? I need to talk to her." he asked. He was so cheerful and kind that my heart broke into pieces when he asked me about his sister.

"Will, there's something I need to tell you. Arista...she..." I choked before I burst into tears. By his facial expression, he already knew. I saw his face filled with pain and grief. Nico was comforting him.

"I'm sorry, Will. The venti outnumbered us. Arista was shooting them with her arrows but the winged one threw a thunderbolt at her and she just collapsed. I tried to save her with my healing magic but I was too late. She's already gone." I cried. Frederica was crying silently while Winter kept his expression blank. That's how I knew he's hurting inside too.

"Daniel, where are you now?" Nico asked.

"Palm Springs. Apollo gave us a side quest. We're looking for the last phoenix. He believes that we need to find her and take her to camp." I explained.

"I see. Be careful out there, okay? And remember, keep an eye out for monsters. California is one of the most dangerous places a demigod would go. And if you ever come across a god or a goddess, be on your guard. There's no way of telling what might happen." Nico advised. We nodded and said our goodbyes to them. I wiped the rainbow away and Winter returned the prism to its owner.

-x-x-x-

We have no idea where to start. Even Frederica, with her extensive knowledge of Greek mythology, is stumped. Now that Arista is gone, I'm elected as leader of the quest. I miss her already. The moments I shared with her make my soul ache for her presence. She means so much to me and I was so stupid for not realizing it sooner.

We've been looking for the phoenix but so far, our chances are close to zero. By the time sun set in the horizon, my head is in my hands. I never felt so hopeless. Not since my siblings fought for the Titan Kronos. Not since the war with Gaea. I was ready to throw in the towel when a trail of Mist caught my attention. Winter and Frederica are busy setting up camp so I slipped away for a few minutes and followed the trail. It led me to an unknown part of town with crossroads. I knew then that my mother is making her appearance.

"You look distraught, Daniel," a voice said. When I turned around, I saw a beautiful woman carrying torches along with a polecat and a black Labrador retriever. She smiled at me but it didn't reach her dark eyes. I swallowed.

"Hi, Mom." I replied. She must've seen something in me because her expression softened.

"Daniel dear, magic isn't the solution for everything. Arista knows it's not your fault," she reasoned. But I sneered at her.

"Well, she's no longer her, isn't she? And that proves I'm lousy magic-user." I said and smiled bitterly. Her pet dog barked three times. Hecate chided her pet.

"That's not true. Your magic kept her here in the world of the living," Hecate argued.

"What? So that means she's-"

"Alive? Yes but you better hurry. She's trapped between the world of the living and the dead. Even now her hold to the mortal world is slowly slipping. You must find the phoenix and use its tail to revive her. The Mist you casted protect her from prying eyes. But it will not hold forever," she warned.

"Wait, what? I didn't cast the Mist around her." I pointed out. But my mother wasn't having any of it.

"Daniel dear, the way you manipulate the Mist is different from your brothers' and sisters'. It responds to your emotions. Your desire to protect Arista manifests in the Mist. It shielded her during that fire. But it will not hold forever," she reminded me. I gave her a sad smile.

"Mother, please don't give me false hope. There's no way Arista is alive."

"Daniel, you have to believe in yourself. You're a great magic-user. Even Lou Ellen knows that," she spoke. The Labrador retriever barked incessantly.

"I have to go, Daniel. But remember what I said," she vanished and I stood alone in that clearing. The only sounds I hear is the voices of my friends calling my name. Before I went back to them, I glanced up in the sky and whispered a prayer to the gods.

"Please protect her." I said and walked back to our makeshift camp.

 **A/N: OH MY GODS! I'm sorry but it's necessary for the story. Don't worry though. Something good will happen on the next chapter.**

 **Jason: *beat up to a pulp while dangling over Thalia's tree***

 **Percy: Schist, GraceHunter. What did you do to him?**

 **Me: I taught him a lesson. *evil grin* Nee, thanks for the review . :3 Bye!**

 **~GraceHunter1296, daughter of Athena and Legacy of Olympus**


	10. Chapter 10

**Arista of the Far East**

 **By: GraceHunter1296**

 **A/N: Yo! What's up, fellow demigods? GraceHunter here. Uhm... please don't kill me after reading chapter 9. It's really necessary for the story. Anyway, here with me is Drew Tanaka from the Aphrodite cabin! She's going to do the disclaimer!**

 **Drew: All right, let's get this over with. GraceHunter doesn't own Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Heroes of Olympus, and of course One Ok Rock. Anything else?**

 **Me: Thank you for the 900+ views, guys! I know it's not much compared to other Fan Fiction authors but thank you for the support!**

 **Athena: I'm so proud of you, dear.**

 **Me: Thanks, Mom. On with the fic!**

 **Chapter 10**

 **Only Hope**

 **(Frederica's P.O.V.)**

Daniel told us everything Hecate said to him. I was just glad that Arista is still alive. However, he doesn't want to believe her. I could understand that. Giving false hopes to someone is the most painful thing to do. I should know since I've given a few of them myself. But it doesn't mean I don't feel guilty because of it. If I have a dollar for every lies I speak, I'll be the richest demigod in history.

I have mixed emotions when I found myself back here in Palm Springs. The only memory I have of this place is seeing someone I love die before my eyes. And the prophecy did nothing to improve my outlook on life either. But at least I have some sense of purpose now. I can die without regrets.

"Are you okay, Freddie? You've been quiet," Winter said, his voice filled with concern. Bless his heart, despite his lineage, the son of Ares never failed to give me solace whenever I feel this way. I smiled at him though it was forced. I grew to like him as I spent time with him. But it wasn't meant to be. After this quest, I have to say goodbye.

"Yeah, I'm okay. It's just... I have bad memories here in Palm Springs. I can't believe I'm back. Of all the places that blasted prophecy could send me to, it had to be Palm Springs," I laughed bitterly. But the look in his saffron eyes made me uneasy. They seem to peer into my soul and I was afraid he'll find out my secret. Instead of pushing the subject, he nodded understandingly.

"I would feel the same if I suddenly had to go back to Maryland," he smiled sadly. "My mom was killed by a hellhound when I was 11. To tell you the truth, I was scared. I haven't held a single weapon in my entire life. But when that monster killed my mom, I grabbed her dagger and send the hellhound back to Tartarus. After that, I ran away. I swore I'll never come back."

"It must be hard." I replied.

"Yes, it is. But you have friends to depend on whenever you feel weak. They're by your side, encouraging you every step of the way. I wouldn't make it to camp if it weren't for Daniel. And I wouldn't have so much fun at camp without you," he beamed this time but when he realized exactly what he said had some double meanings in them (I'm just guessing at this point), he blushed and looked away. I resisted the urge to giggle. Gods, what's wrong with me?

I wonder what Athena would think of me when she finds out I'm dating the son of her archrival Ares. That would be too weird to even think about.

-x-x-x-

The afternoon was a little cooler here in Palm Springs. At least, this neighbourhood looks familiar. But it evokes bad memories. The events that happened that day suddenly came back to me with full force. Tires screeching. Me getting pushed aside. The sight of a girl's body lying on the street with blood gushing from her head. I was frozen. I couldn't move my body. It's like I'm petrified by Medusa. I tried screaming for help but I can't speak. I'm really panicking right now until I felt someone's hand on my shoulder. I started screaming.

"Whoa, Freddie! It's me, Winter! Calm down," Winter said. The flashbacks stopped. Daniel and Winter were looking at me with worry. I breathe in and out for a while and managed to calm down.

"Freddie, are you okay? Maybe we should rest for a while. I think the heat's starting to get to you." Daniel suggested but I shook my head.

"No, Dannie. I'm fine. It's just…bad memories and all," I said. Daniel nodded and we proceeded. Winter suddenly held my hand and squeezed it.

My heart went tap dancing and I feel like I'm blushing. I tried to speak but no words came out from my addled brain. Damn you, goddess of love!

I just ignored the feelings stirring in my chest and the fact that Winter looks so adorable and sexy at the same time. His silver hair really suits him well. Add to the fact that he has sparkling saffron eyes that seems to see through me. That should have terrified me. But it didn't. It makes me feel safe.

ARGH! Aphrodite, will you stop messing with my brain?!

It's getting late so we decided to camp for the night in the woods nearby. Daniel is on first watch while Winter and I were setting up camp. I feel very lonely. Without Arista to boost our morale, we're in for a serious butt-whooping. More importantly, she's the heart and soul of our team. I just wish things could've been different back at Detroit. If Arista didn't get hit, she would still be here with us right now. I miss her.

All of a sudden, the wind died down and it became quiet. Too quiet. You can't even hear the sound of a cicada. Winter felt it too. Daniel produced a fireball from his right hand and we waited. Tension is in the air as the bushes rustled. I drew out my dagger. As we held our breaths, a shadow jumped out of the bushes and we shouted our battle cries. But nothing could've prepared us for this.

A familiar figure appeared. She has a long auburn hair that she wears in braids. Her blue eyes widened at the sight of us. She's wearing a black t-shirt with the words "One Ok Rock" printed on it. She was holding a bow while her quiver is strapped against her back. A sword is strapped against her hip. I was secretly hoping that I was wrong since the girl in front of me was supposed to be dead. But I tried to say her name.

"Arista?"

She didn't answer me. Instead, she went straight to Daniel and slapped him in the cheek with the back of her hand. We were stunned.

"Baka!" she shouted. "Watashi wa kimi-tachi o shinpai shimashita. Ittai doko ni ita? Watashi wa megasameta toki, kimi-tachi wa mohaya nai. Kowagatteita yo. Doshite? Doshite watashi o oitekebori ni shita no desu ka? (Idiot! I was worried about you guys. When I woke up, you weren't there. Where were you?! I was scared. Why? Why did you leave me?)" She ranted in Japanese. That's how I knew. Tears of joy started falling. Then I pounced on the girl.

"Oh my gods! You're alive!" I said. She was smiling at that point.

"Of course I'm alive. But what the Hades, guys?! Why did you leave me behind in Detroit?" Arista grumbled. Daniel looks at her with guilt all over his face. He walked away, making us all confused but Winter. Arista became worried.

"Daniel was just shocked, Arista. He thought you were..." he choked.

"What?" she asked.

"In Elysium. He thought he failed to heal you with his magic. Back at Detroit, he tried to save you but we haven't got the chance to find out if it works because a hellhound attacked us at the safe house. Daniel had no choice but to burn it down. And you were still inside...but Hecate told us that Daniel's way of manipulating the Mist is different from her other children. Somehow the Mist protected you until you were healed enough." Winter explained. While Daniel was sulking in a corner, Arista approached him.

"Do you think he'll be okay?" I asked. Winter didn't reply. Instead, he asked me a question in return.

"What do you think of Arista and Daniel dating?" he blurted out. I raised my eyebrow at that.

"Are you shipping them, Crestfall?" I smirked. Winter blushed.

"Don't judge me. I think they make a cute couple," he replied. If I hadn't known better, I'd say Winter has the makings of an Aphrodite kid. I tried not to laugh. Meanwhile, Daniel and Arista are having a conversation. So far, the night is silent but the sounds of nature broke it. I could hear the cicadas again. Other than that, it's peaceful.

-x-x-x-

(Arista's P.O.V.)

To be honest, I nearly freaked out when I woke up in Detroit only to find them gone. So I had to ride a bus to Palm Springs, avoid inquisitive mortals and of course, the monsters. Thank the gods I made it here in one piece and found them. But there's something that's been bothering me for quite some time. I had a dream about Frederica and another girl named Flannery (or Fina because that's her real name; Flannery was just a nickname). There's a far-fetched theory forming at the back of my brain but I wasn't about to share it with my friends unless they would think I'm going bonkers.

Anyway, I had to talk to Daniel and thank him for saving me. But the poor schmuck was busy beating himself over the fact that I almost died and something about being a "non-believer". What in the name of Amaterasu is he talking about? So I had to do what I'm supposed to do: smack him upside the head.

"Hey! What was that for?!" he shouted.

"For beating yourself up! What are you not telling me, Hawthorne? 'Fess up," I glared. Daniel and I are having a glaring contest while Winter and Frederica are sleeping. Finally, he gave up and sighed in defeat.

"When you were struck by a lightning bolt, I was scared. I told Winter to get you out of there and take you to the other safe house we have in Detroit. By the time Freddie and I arrived, you...you weren't breathing," he choked. "We took you to the safe house. I casted an advance protection spell and it took almost all I got just to do it. Then I tried to heal you with a spell that Will taught me."

"And? What happened next?"

Daniel looked at me with guilt in his eyes. In an impulse, I hugged him. He rested his head on the hollow of my shoulders. The next thing I knew, he was sobbing.

"There was a hellhound... and it's starting to break through the barrier. I was reluctant to leave you. But Winter convinced me to leave you behind. And I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, Arista," he cried. I held him for a while. It must be hard on him to make that call. Then the mysterious voice in my head – probably my father Apollo – was reciting a haiku. And it annoyed the flip out of me.

 _My darling daughter_

 _Has fell in love with Daniel_

 _I totally ship_

When I get back from this quest, I'm going to the Empire State Building, find my dad, and kick his butt.

"Arista? I'm okay now. You can let go," Daniel whispered. For some reason, I found myself thinking of Daniel hugging me the night before this quest started. It made me feel safe and it's okay if I say something in Japanese and he doesn't understand a word. Simply put, I can be myself when I'm around him. I don't know. I'm rambling inside my head as of this point. So I let go and he gave me a sheepish smile. Kawaii…

While I'm still thinking of Daniel wearing cat ears or bunny ears for that matter, I heard Frederica screamed. And it was enough to break glass (I should know. Connor Stoll pranked her once with a rubber spider. She screamed and broke the windows). We rushed to her side at once. If it weren't for Frederica's frightened expression, I would've found the scenario funny. Why? Because she's clinging to Winter like her life depends on it. And another thing, the son of Ares is smiling like he's on Cloud 9. I tried not to snicker.

"What happened?" Daniel asked. He produced a fireball in his hand in case he has to roast some monsters.

"The-There's a spider on my sleeping bag!" she yelled. Three seconds later, she realized that she's clinging on to Winter. And he's clearly enjoying it. The problem is he 'accidentally' groped her in the butt. Naturally, she punched him in the jaw and knocked him out cold.

"Hecate's cauldron, Frederica! You just KO'd him," Daniel pointed out. But the daughter of Athena is clearly flustered by the situation that she has forgotten that we are here. She glared at Daniel who immediately shuts his mouth.

"Sorry Hawthorne, but your friend here touched my butt. Is it unnatural for me to punch a guy who touched me in that manner? I think not. It's unwise for a guy to mess with me, even if he's technically my friend," Frederica replied. Daniel thought about it for a moment.

"Touché," he spoke. Now while Winter is snoozing away, we decided to get some sleep. As usual, I had a dream. But this time, it feels different. Why? Because the place where I'm standing on is too cheerful for my taste. Greek palaces and other gorgeous dwellings are standing a few feet from one another. There are people laughing and horsing around. Two girls approached me and I had to force myself not to run away. One is a girl about 16 years of age with ebony hair and hazel eyes. She has a heart-shaped face and high cheekbones. She's wearing a familiar orange t-shirt and a pair of denim shorts. She could be a female version of Daniel.

The other one is about twelve years old. She has curly, strawberry blonde hair and gray eyes filled with wisdom. She's two inches shorter than me but her eyes make her a little intimidating. She's wearing a black and red chequered blouse and a pair of ripped jeans. She has tanned skin just like Annabeth.

"Hello. I'm Atalanta. Welcome to Elysium, the Paradise for Brave Heroes," she announced. The other girl smiled at me and introduced herself.

"I'm Frederica Sofia Montez. But you can call me Freddie. Nice to meet you!"

Holy Apollo... maybe my far-fetched theory isn't far-fetched after all.

 **A/N: And there we go! Another chapter of Arista of the Far East. Thanks for the reviews especially to Indigo Jupiter.**

 **I may not be able to update that much because school starts next week. But I'll update when I can. Thank you guys for the support and love you have given me. Bye for now!**

 **~GraceHunter1296, Daughter of Athena and Legacy of Olympus**


	11. Chapter 11

**Arista of the Far East**

 **By: GraceHunter1296**

 **A/N: AAAAAAAAAAAAANNNNNNNNNNNNNNDDDDDDDDD we're back! Thank you so much for the 1,044 views! X3 Sorry if there are inconsistencies (chapter 9 and 10) Lou Ellen was the one who taught Daniel the healing spell, not Will. But maybe they taught him healing arts together? I don't know. XD And for the disclaimer, we have Centurion Hazel Levesque and Praetor Frank Zhang!**

 **Hazel: Okay, without further ado, GraceHunter doesn't own the Percy Jackson series and Heroes of Olympus series. Those belong to Rick Riordan.**

 **Frank: And also, she doesn't own One OK Rock songs that may be included in this fan fic.**

 **Me: And now that we've done the disclaimer, here's chapter 11!**

 **All 3 of us: DOZO!**

 **Chapter 11**

 **The Truth Unfolds**

(Arista's P.O.V.)

Holy Amaterasu... how the flip did I end up here?! And what's the deal with Atalanta and a 12-year old version of Frederica in Elysium?! Hypnos must be pulling my leg or something because normal people do not end up in the Greeks' version of Paradise. Then again, I'm a demigod so even dreaming happens in whacked up places. I forgot.

And let's not forget the fact that I'm having a walk with Daniel's sister Atalanta and a twelve-year old version of my best friend. I don't know how to explain this but I feel I need an explanation for me to understand what's going on. If I'm a daughter of Athena, I could easily get my bearings with fewer problems. Unfortunately, I do not have Athena's wisdom. So I'm sandwiched between the two of them until we reached a lagoon. We sat on the side.

"Annou... Dono yō ni watashi wa eryushion ni koko ni kita no desu ka? (How did I get here in Elysium?)" I asked in Japanese. Atalanta just looked at me quizzically. But Frederica did an amazing thing. She answered me in Japanese.

"Watashi-tachi wa anata o koko ni motte Hyupunosu ni tazune takara desu. (It's because we asked Hypnos to bring you here)" she replied. My jaw dropped.

"Wow. How did you speak Japanese so fluently?"

"I watched a lot of animé back when I was alive," she replied.

"Oh. So, why did you bring me here? Is there something you need to tell me?" I asked. Atalanta looked at the child (I can't call her Frederica) beside her and she nodded.

"Arista, isn't it? You and Daniel are on a quest together, right?" Atalanta began.

"Yeah. He's with me. Why?"

"And Apollo gave you a side quest, didn't he?" she questioned.

"How did you know?" I gasped.

"I heard Nico di Angelo talking to a spirit. It's something about the phoenix. I've heard some rumors but I'm not sure which is true," she replied.

"Atalanta, rumors are nothing but false news. But we can both agree on one thing: some of the rumors we've heard are disturbing," her companion spoke. I was focused more on the fact that there are rumors flying around in Elysium than the fact that Nico was here.

"Wait, Nico was here? How?"

"He was looking for your spirit. Apparently, he thought you've died. He was confused when we told him that you were not here. He even searched the Fields of Asphodel just to make sure. Anyway, we might have the information you need. Freddie?" Atalanta said. Frederica nodded and spoke.

"The phoenix has been with you all along." Do you know what a screeching sound of a tire sounds like before the car crashes? That's how I felt when she said that.

"I-I don't understand. What do you mean by that?" I asked, tensed as the answer is laid down in front of me. I've known ever since I had that dream. But my poor mortal brain doesn't want to accept the fact that someone is pretending to be a friend of mine.

"When I was a kid, I met Flannery. She was really hurt so I patched her up. She didn't tell me how she got her wounds so I didn't bother to ask. Anyway, I let her stay in my room. One night, we got attacked by a two-trunked snake lady," Frederica narrated. Oh gods.

"You were attacked by a Scythian _dracanae_? How did you escaped?" I asked.

"Flannery saved me. She used some sort of fire magic to drive it away. But she got weaker and fainted. That's when I learned I was a demigod," she paused. Atalanta's face betrayed no emotion as Frederica tried to remember that part of her life.

"The day I died on a car accident, Flannery and I were on our way to camp. She was so heartbroken but she was determined to get to camp. So she marched in to Camp Half-Blood and my godly parent claimed her," she frowned. "Then she started calling herself Frederica."

I felt like kneeling on the ground. Freddie… why? Why did you lie to me? I was still in disbelief when all of a sudden, I started fading. I panicked a little.

"You're waking up, Arista. Remember, you need to protect Flannery. Whatever happens, promise me you'll take care of her. Don't let anything happen to her. And by the gods, please don't let her fall into enemy forces. If that happens, we're all doomed!" Frederica warned. When I woke up, it was already morning. I spotted Winter and Frederica (not the real one, mind you; The real Frederica is in Elysium). They appear to be arguing with intent to pummel each other. I can hear it in their voices.

"I can't believe you lied to all of us! How could you?" Winter shouted in anger while Frederica (should I call her Flannery? Gods, this is one hell of a mess) is crying. Okay, this situation is getting out of hand. I better step up.

"Hey, Winter. What's the fuss?" I asked. But he didn't answer me. Instead, he walked past me. I quickly rushed to the crying girl in front of me. I still can't figure out what to call her then realized it's not the issue here. So I tried to console her as much as I could. However, she keeps on crying.

"He knows. He already knows I lied to him. Gods, why? Why does it have to be like this? Why do I keep hurting the people I love?!" she lamented. I had the sudden urge to march to Olympus and curse every Olympian with rhyming couplets for a year. She has suffered long enough. What in Apollo's name are those stupid _kami_ thinking? If they find it funny seeing my friend cry, I'll fire my Celestial Bronze arrows on their sorry podexes.

"Freddie- er, I mean Flannery- Winter just needs some time to adjust to the truth. This is quite a shock to him," I advised. But she didn't stop crying.

"Arista… I'm sorry… I-I didn't want things to go this far. I was just scared that you'll get mad at me. I was just trying to preserve Frederica's legacy. I want her to be known and remembered as a brave demigod. She… She was taken from this world too early. That's why I pretended to be her in order for her to have a legacy. I prayed to Athena so she could claim me. Only I brought nothing but pain," she's been rambling by this point. I think a bucket of ice-cold water would sober her up.

Before I could do that though, Winter approaches her and in one swift motion, carried her like a sack of wheat on his shoulder. Flannery was kicking and screaming but the son of Ares wasn't fazed. My jaw dropped. What the flipping sheep?!

I was too dumbfounded to speak until Daniel came along with a smug smile on his face. He looks like a proud father whose son will date a girl for the first time.

"Let me guess. Winter had a change of heart because of you," I said with sarcasm.

"Nope. Actually, I threatened to turn him into a girl and let some dudes harass him until he reconsiders," Daniel grinned evilly. My eyes widened. I thought he was a gentle soul. I shook my head in resignation.

"Anyway, I had a dream last night. It was weird. I talked to Atalanta in Elysium," he began. I looked at him, trying to read his body language but he didn't offer additional details. I remembered the fourth line of the prophecy: "And see a ghost crying through the years". Maybe he saw her crying in Elysium or something.

"And? What happened?" I asked. He stared at me… which made me blush.

"She said I must protect the ones I valued the most. And she warned me about something but I can't remember it," he said. I nodded in understanding. After two minutes, Winter and Flannery were back. Aphrodite's hair brush! They are holding hands. The son of Ares is grinning while Flannery is smiling sheepishly at us. I couldn't hold it any longer. I screamed like a deranged fan girl.

 **A/N: I'm sorry for not updating sooner! School just started last week and I have tons of assignments. But I will never give up. I'll finish this story so don't worry, okay?**

 **Frank: Hey GraceHunter, you're a senior in college, right?**

 **Me: Yeah?**

 **Frank: What are your plans?**

 **Me: Hmm… to be honest, I want to be a freelance writer after graduation. But I guess that won't do since I have to work for my younger brother's education.**

 **Frank: Well, whatever your plan is, we'll stand by you.**

 **Me: Thanks, Praetor.**

 **Hazel: Please leave a review, okay?**

 **3: Bye!**

 **~GraceHunter1296, Daughter of Athena and Legacy of Olympus**


	12. Chapter 12

**Arista of the Far East**

 **By: GraceHunter1296**

 **A/N: Hey guys! Thanks for the reviews from Indigo Jupiter and . I really appreciate it. Uhm... as for Arista speaking in Japanese throughout the story, it's her native language. If you have any problems with it, just say it in a nice way. Oh, and just so you know I have knowledge of the Japanese culture. For the disclaimer we have Travis and Connor Stoll from the Hermes Cabin. Take it away, guys!**

 **Travis: Yes, we're going to do the disclaimer!**

 **Connor: Oh yeah! GraceHunter doesn't own the Percy Jackson series, Heroes of Olympus and One Ok Rock.**

 **Me: Thanks. *realizes my bracelet is gone* Travis. Connor. Bracelet. Give it back. *glares at the Stolls***

 **Travis: *curses in Ancient Greek* Oh man!**

 **Connor: I thought we had it.**

 **Me: Never underestimate a daughter of Athena.**

 **Annabeth: Hades yes!**

 **Annabeth and Me: On with the fic!**

 **Chapter 12**

 **Phoenix in Love**

 **(Winter's P.O.V.)**

I had a weird dream last night. I was in Elysium and I saw my mom again. I tried my best not to cry as I embraced my mother. It's been so long since I got to hold her this close. I really missed her. Call me a mama's boy if you like but I lost my mom when I was eleven. So I'm entitled to be flooded by the feels.

"Look at you, dear. You're all grown up," she said. My mom has silver hair that reaches her shoulder blades. Her gray eyes sparkle with happiness when she saw me. And it made me tear up a little. Don't tell Clarisse or Ares about this or I'll smack you on the head with the butt of my sword. Anyway, I gave in to the urge and hugged my mom. I tried to stop myself from crying like a little girl but damn my tear sacs to Tartarus, I actually cried in front of Mom. She chuckled and brushed my hair away from my face.

"Sorry. I just... I got emotional. It's been so long. I've missed you so much," my lips quivered. Mom gave me a warm smile.

"I've missed you too. But now is not the time to catch up. I have something to tell you. It's about your quest," Mom spoke. Then she told me about the phoenix. At first, I wasn't a believer. But after many explanations, it finally makes sense to me. That's when I saw my hands fading. I have to admit, this is really creepy.

"Mom-"

"Winter, when you wake up, talk to your friend Frederica. She knows," she reminded me before I woke up. I think I heard a faint "I love you" from Mom. When I opened my eyes, I saw Frederica looking at the sunrise. Ares' boar, she's so beautiful, just like her mother Athena. What can I say? I love beautiful women who can kick my ass in battle.

When I look at her, I saw grief and resignation in her eyes. I became alert as I approached her.

"Hey Freddie? Are you all right? You look like a bunny cornered by a wolf," I said. When her gaze met mine, I knew something was wrong. She stood up and held my hand. With a troubled expression, she spoke.

"Winter, we need to talk," her voice sounds grave and weary. My internal alarms are blaring like crazy. During our talk, she told me the story of a girl named Flannery and how she helped her escape an attack from a bunch of _Scythian dracaneae_. Things started to get a little confusing when she told me that the real Frederica is already dead and she's just a stand-in for her. I blew my top right after she told me that. And boy did that made me feel like a jerk. Thanks a lot, Ares.

-x-x-x-

I left her there crying which made me feel even worse. Arista approached me and asked me what's wrong. But I didn't answer her. To be honest, I felt betrayed. I thought I knew all about her but it turns out I was mistaken. I was angry at her. Now I remember what my mom told me in the dream. She knew. And I acted the jerk by storming off. I totally blame my godly father on this one.

I was sitting on a rock on gods-know-where when Daniel showed up. He was holding his phoenix pendant with a solemn look on his face.

"You too, huh?" he said. I raised my eyebrow at that.

"What do you mean?" I asked. He smiled knowingly at me which is kind of irritating. Children of Hecate and their stupid secret magic thingies.

"Will you stop playing the mysterious fortune-teller, Hawthorne? Just spill the beans!" Daniel laughed outright. I think the quest finally broke his mind.

"I had a dream last night too. I was in Elysium and saw my sister. She told me everything. I wanted to tell you but she insisted that you should find out for yourself. I guess it didn't go well," he grimaced. I sighed in resignation.

"Gods, I was such a jerk. Freddie- no, Flannery- doesn't deserve getting yelled at for doing something for a friend she clearly cares about. Man, what a mess. I... oh man...," I groaned. Daniel has this a-cat-that-caught-a-canary kind of smile on his face. Every time I see that look, it makes me want to run as far away as possible. For all I knew, he could be concocting some sort of scheme that involves a lot of embarrassing moments I rather not tell anyone about.

"My dear Crestfall, there's only one thing to do. And that is apologizing," he grinned. Yeah, that would be the most logical thing for me to do. But there's one teeny tiny little detail he forgot to mention. I'm a grandson of Athena AND a son of Ares. Arrogance plus _hubris_ equals a guy with a thick head. Oh, and did I mention I'm a jerk?

"Hawthorne, you know me. Apologizing isn't my thing," I said. But he didn't falter. Instead, he whispered in my ear the most horrifying threat ever conceived.

"You better do as I say, Crestfall or so gods help me, I'll use the Mist to transform you into a girl and let you get harassed without even lifting a finger to help you. Capische?"

I was pale by that time and decided that obeying Daniel is the best course of action. So I muttered a thousand curses in Ancient Greek as I look for Flannery. I found her crying while Arista is trying to calm her down. Great. The last thing I need is a crying damsel. I would have settled for a hissing hellcat with willingness to shred me to pieces.

So I did what I thought they expected me to do: I lifted her in my arms and carried her like a sack of wheat on my shoulder. She's shouting profanities at me in Ancient Greek but at least she wasn't crying. I found a secluded spot and put her down. Her angry face was even more breathtaking than before.

"What do you want, Crestfall?! You've made your point very clear," she said. You can blame Aphrodite for what I'm about to do next. I kissed her.

I know, I know. How rude. But someone told me (read: It was Vivian) that the best way to keep a girl's mouth shut is to kiss her. And it worked. Then out of nowhere, somebody's fist kissed me back. Damn. I know I love her but her punches could crack my head like an egg. I looked at her in the eye. I noticed that she was blushing.

"You son of a gorgon! How dare you steal a kiss from me! Do you have any idea how-" I cut her off by kissing her again. This time, she kissed me back. I'm so lucky that she didn't punch me the second time. My face hurts.

When we stopped for a minute to catch our breath, she muttered, "That kiss was long overdue, Crestfall." She grinned.

"So that means you like me?" I blushed. Yes, you heard it right, people of the world. The son of Ares is blushing like a tomato. So sue me. And if you're watching this Dad, please don't tease me.

"Of course I like you, you numbskull. Why do you think I beat you up every time we play capture the flag?" she pointed out.

"Oh. Uhm... we better go. Daniel and Arista might be looking for us," I said. She nodded and I took her hand in mine.

When we found the two, Arista screamed like a deranged Aphrodite girl. Geez... that girl has some set of lungs in her.

"Oh my gods! Oh my gods! Oh my gods! OH MY GODS!" Arista squealed. Daniel breathes a sigh of relief.

"Thank the gods! Finally, my ship has sailed!" My eyes widened at the thought of my best friend shipping me with Flannery. And here I thought I'm the only guy at camp who ships couples. By the way, I ship Arista and Daniel since before the start of this quest. Don't tell anyone.

"Looks like I owe you a bunch of drachmas, Hawthorne," I grinned. Daniel smiled.

"I kind of noticed your huge crush on Flannery since the beginning. Gods, I know you're dense but I can't believe you're THAT dense," he teased. Flannery laughed.

"I know, right? But I love him for it," Flannery beamed at me and I'm elated. But the moment is gone when an army of _Scythian dracanae_ appeared. Well, fiddlesticks. Talk about a bummer.

"Great job on finding the phoenixsss, sssssson of Aressssss," their leader said. Arista's eyes narrowed. She took out her bow and her pencil case-oh sorry, it's the Mist- her quiver. Flannery drew out her dagger and I brought out my spear. Daniel conjured fire from his hand. I did a quick head count and cursed under my breath because our odds are against us. There are only four of us and 15 of them. Schist.

"Daniel, you and Winter take on those on the left. Flannery and I would take the ones on the right. Clear?" Arista ordered. We nodded and split up. Hades broke loose as we finish our enemies left and right. Arista's arrows are like Apollo's, raining down on the unsuspecting _dracanae_ with deadly accuracy. Flannery was even more amazing in battle. Her grey eyes are now blazing with fury as she slashed her enemies with her dagger. Daniel is torching his opponents with his magical fire while I turn mine into dragon lady kebabs.

The remaining snake ladies hissed in anger. I thought the worst is over. Funny how the Fates can turn things against us. Just as we are about to run, another monster appeared. I tried my best not to whimper like a sissy as I take a closer look at the monster. It was a freaking, honest-to-Hades chimera. It has a three heads: a lion, a goat and a dragon. Its upper half is a lion's but its lower half is a dragon's legs. Its tail is a venomous snake. It has bat-like wings and when it roared, it reeks of dead meat.

Schist. We're so screwed.

 **A/N: I'm really sorry for the late update. I joined Battle of the Bands in our school. And my band won! XD Anyway, keep those reviews coming and I will upload the next chapter soon. But I can't upload it right away so don't kill me, okay? 'Til next time!**

 **~GraceHunter1296, Daughter of Athena and Legacy of Olympus**


	13. Chapter 13

**Arista of the Far East**

 **By: GraceHunter1296**

 **A/N: Yo, minna! GraceHunter here. Sorry for not updating fast enough. I'm very busy with schoolwork plus I'm working on my original story. Nevertheless, I would like to say thanks to all of my readers for their reviews. And for the disclaimer, let's welcome Praetor Reyna Avila Ramirez-Arellano!**

 **Reyna: Hello, demigods. GraceHunter doesn't own the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series, the Heroes of Olympus and One Ok Rock. Also, if someone makes a mess of Camp Jupiter, there will be consequences. Capische?**

 **Me: *laughs nervously* Thanks, Reyna. Now, on with the fic!**

 **Chapter 13**

 **We Almost Got Toasted**

 **(Arista's P.O.V.)**

Of course. It had to be a chimaera. I remember attending Mythology class back at camp and we discussed Greek monsters and how to defeat them. According to the myths, the Chimaera was believed to be a child of Typhon and Echidna. During the old days, it was terrorizing the kingdom of Lycia until the hero Bellerophon, a son of Poseidon, defeated it with the help of Pegasus. Unfortunately, we're fresh out of flying horses. And the thing is this monster spews out fire. Great.

Daniel was horrified when he saw the Chimaera. I don't know what's wrong with him but he's just standing there, frozen in terror. Then I remembered him telling me how his sister died. I put two and two together. That's how I concluded that the Chimaera is responsible for Atalanta's death. But how on earth will we defeat it?

Flannery's gray eyes are scanning the battlefield. But her gaze is focused solely on the Chimaera. She searched for anything that may help us but unfortunately, she's at a loss.

The Chimaera roared and spits out fire. I had to grab Daniel by the hand and we hid behind the trees. Flannery and Winter followed suit.

"Guys, we have no choice. We're going to run. It's the only way," I said. Daniel nodded in agreement though his good eye is filled with pain. Winter nodded. I asked Daniel to manipulate the Mist around us so we could escape. Fortunately, he has enough presence of mind to do so. He shrouded us with Mist and we ran away from the battlefield.

When we reached the asphalt road, we ran as fast as we can. We may have fooled the _dracanae_ but we won't have long until it finds us again. So we hitch hiked a bus and prayed the Chimera won't find us. Daniel collapsed on a seat next to me. Winter and Flannery sat next to each other. I felt like blushing because sitting next to him made me giddy all of a sudden.

 _Face it, sunbeam. You're in love with him;_ my father's voice rang through my head. That made me blush even more. Damn you, Dad!

"Are you okay, Arista? You looked flushed," he asked. Holy Apollo! He noticed! OH MY GODS! What should I do?! Sweet mother of Apollo, what in Hades' name should I do?!

I was spared by an explosion on the right side of the bus. The passengers panicked and screamed. I dared to look at the window and my heart almost stopped beating. The Chimera is chasing us.

"Holy Apollo! We need to get out of here!" I shouted. Daniel nodded and cloaked us and the other passengers with protective Mist. The driver hit the brakes and we jumped out of the bus. The Chimera was there, flicking its tongue in anticipation. I don't have to be an Oracle of Delphi to know that we're cornered.

"Guys?" Winter whimpered. When a son of Ares whimpers, it's bad news.

"Yeah?" I replied.

"It's an honour to embark on this quest with you."

"Same here," I replied. Suddenly, Flannery jumps in the fray. Winter was beyond horrified.

"Flannery? Flannery, get back! It's dangerous!" Winter yelled but Flannery was not fazed.

"You guys should go. I'll buy you some time," she said and unsheathed her dagger. Winter was about to argue but one look at Flannery's eyes made him hesitate. I remembered the last two lines of the prophecy: "Athena's daughter visited by Death; will be the shield until her last breath". My heart was suddenly seized by a cold fist. A raspy voice spoke inside my head which gave me chills.

 _By all means, daughter of Apollo,_ it crooned. _Your friend would be the sacrifice I need to get my revenge on you puny demigods. Her blood would be my elixir. Run away and abandon her to her fate._

My blood runs cold. That voice sounds so evil. Without thinking, I rushed after Flannery while Daniel and Winter were following me. The Chimaera spits fire but Flannery was unharmed, thank the gods. I forgot that she's a phoenix and is immune to fire. But our luck wouldn't last long. Pretty soon the monster will overwhelm us.

Daniel attacks with his fire magic but it seems the Chimaera is immune to fire as well. I aimed for its eye but its claws almost slashed me to pieces. Unfortunately, it managed to hit me in the arm. Blood trickled from the wound and I almost passed out from the pain. Flannery jabbed its paw with a dagger to keep its attention on her. But she got swiped by the Chimaera and she hit her head on the asphalt.

Winter roared in anger. With his spear, he thrusts it into the monster but it didn't leave a scratch. Instead, it got annoyed with him and was about to get diced when Daniel casted a protection spell using the Mist. Winter appeared again beside Flannery.

The Chimaera was furious. My mind is running out of ideas when I saw the molten asphalt. My idea is really crazy but I've got no choice. It's either get torched or survive. Personally, surviving is much more appealing to me. So I used my wakizashi to scoop up the stuff and molded it into my arrowhead. It was boiling hot and my fingers are getting burned. But I tried not to cry out in pain as I molded the asphalt until the tip of my arrow is blunt.

I prayed to all the gods that my plan would work. Otherwise, we'll end up in Hades' realm. With a defiant shout, I released my arrow and I watched it fly. The Chimaera was about to open its mouth when the arrow found its way to the monster's throat.

Of course, it didn't go exactly as I hoped. Instead of choking, the monster swallowed it like candy. We are so dead.

I held my wakizashi and I was prepared to go down with a fight. All of a sudden, I heard something. It sounds like a horn. A rain of silver arrows found its way on the Chimaera. A second volley of arrows followed suit until it realized it's outnumbered. It roared before flying away. I sighed in relief but I found myself on my knees. I scanned my surroundings for immediate danger but luckily, we're safe.

"Flannery!" I heard Winter's voice. He sounds like something wrong has happened. I ran towards then and my words got stuck in my throat. There's a group of girls wearing silver parka, green pants and hiking boots who are surrounding Flannery and the others. A twelve-year old girl approached me. She's wearing a chiton and she has a bow made of silver but unlike the others, her weapon resembles a gazelle's horns. Her silver eyes are too ancient for a 12-year old.

"Hello, dear niece," she greeted me. My eyes widened in shock. Then, a girl about sixteen with spiky back hair and electric blue eyes stood beside her. She's wearing a tiara on her head but it clashes with her "Dead to Barbie" t-shirt. Her eyes are lined with black eyeliner. She reminds me of someone back at camp.

"Lady Artemis, one of their companions is in critical condition. Even ambrosia and nectar couldn't heal her," she reported.

"Say what?!" I blurted out and pushed my way to Flannery. Winter was holding her limp body while tears streamed down from his face. Daniel's expression was grim. I was numb as I collapsed on the road and screamed.

 **A/N: And there we go! Chapter 13. Sorry for the SUPER late update. I have a lot of things going on. But rest assured I'm still working on this story. Don't forget to leave a review! Cheers!**

 **~GraceHunter1296, Daughter of Athena and Legacy of Olympus**


	14. Author's note

**Author's note:**

 **Hey guys! I'm sorry but Arista's story is no longer in writing. Life got rough on me. After all, I'm a graduating student and I have to prioritize my studies. But rest assured I will still write. Sorry...**

 **~RavenPuffPrefect1296**


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